


April's Training

by SKid99



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cussing, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 12:58:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 112,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13341741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SKid99/pseuds/SKid99
Summary: Being limited to only what Splinter has taught her, April yearns to better herself. Almost being a full-blown kunoichi, she asks Leonardo to help set up sparring sessions with the turtles with no holding back. Agreeing, Leo sets up the spar sessions. After sparring with Raphael, April gets hurt and Donatello searches to confront Raph. More conflicts rise as she progresses. [Some chapters are really cheesy--- more than they should be--- but I'm gonna keep it how it is.]





	1. April's Request

April had just awoken from her slumber. She pushed herself off of the couch she had slept on and wandered to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water. She looked outside the window above the sink and noticed that the turtles were all sparring along with Casey Jones. Raphael had been sparring against Casey while Donatello and Michelangelo were sparring against each other. Leonardo had been eyeing their sparring while sitting on a tree stump, encouraging them all to do their best.

April placed her hand on the ledge of the kitchen counter, drinking her water. She thought, _I need to up my training a bit. Besides, I'm almost a full-blown kunoichi!_ Setting down her glass, she brushed her teeth, grabbed her tessen and headed outside. She moved away from harm's way and walked next to Leo, giving him a small, warm smile.

"Morning, April," Leonardo greeted, his voice a little husky.

"Morning, Leo," April replied, placing her hand on his shoulder as a friendly and comforting gesture. Leo was still being hard on himself because of his leg, but he had been getting a little better lately. "How long have you guys been awake?"

"Oh, not that long," Leo chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, it's just- we all got a pretty weird wake up call. I'm surprised you didn't wake up yourself."

"Well, you can't leave me wondering, Leo," April replied, becoming intrigued as to what he was talking about. "C'mon, tell me!"

"Hmm, I dunno," Leo said, giving her a smug look. "Maybe later, O'Neil."

"Psht, fine," she whined, crossing her arms and turning her head away. She heard Leo give another little chuckle, then a little hiss. She quickly turned her head back around and leaned down a bit. "Leo, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Leo said, giving her a reassuring smile. "I kinda laughed til my ribs started to hurt."

"Okay, good," April sighed, relieved. "By the way..."

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if I could spar with the guys."

"Oh, sure you can. We'll just wait 'til one of the guys-"

"No, I mean," she chuckled, trying to explain herself. "I just- I know I've been getting better and all, but I really want to get one on one with the turtles. Like, no holding back, yanno?"

"Isn't that what you guys usually do?" Leo asked, becoming puzzled. "I'm not sure I'm understanding what you're getting at, April."

"Like," she grunted quietly, forming her speech in her head. "Okay, like, I can feel when the guys are going a bit easy or aren't trying their hardest. So, I just really want to do a sparring with each of them and have them give me their best shots. Do you get it?"

Leonardo thought this out, his eyes narrowing down a bit. He looked around. He saw that Raphael had taken Casey out and had won their sparring session. Meanwhile, Donatello and Michelangelo were still sparring- well, sort of. Mikey had been using his dance moves to avoid Donnie's attacks, making Donnie a tad upset, which transpired to a lecture on how Mikey should focus, which led to Raph coming out from behind Donnie and hitting him upside the head, which led out to an argument against the hothead and the genius. Leo sighed, grabbed his crutch to pull himself to his feet, and looked at April. He nodded.

"Okay, April. I'll tell the guys. But, you know you're asking for them to not hold back no matter what, right?"

"Leo, I know that I could get hurt. Well, more likely, I might hurt someone else."

"Uh huh," Leo smiled. "Go on."

"Anyways, I'm just saying, I know what I'm asking. I just want a real full on sparring so that I can know what to improve in my training. I just want to become a great kunoichi, Leo."

"I hear you, April. I'll break the guys up," Leo said as he made his way to his brothers and Casey.

April sat on the stump Leo had been sitting on and thought over what could transpire from it all. She breathed slowly and closed her eyes, easing her mind. She pulled out her tessen from her back pocket, grasping it as tightly as she could.


	2. Who's First?

As Leonardo reached his younger screaming brothers, Michelangelo and Casey had ceased their horseplay and had their full attention on him.

"...you're nothing but brawn, Raphael!" Donatello yelled, clenching his fists.

"Well, thanks for the compliment! I'd return the favor, but I hate lying!" Raphael retorted back, locking his jaw. Both Raph and Donnie growled at each other, their full attention on each other.

"Okay, guys, that's enough," Leo said, his voice a bit raised so that he could be heard.

"But Leo, Raph is nothing but-"

"I said _**enough**_ , Donatello," Leo said, his voice deepening as his eyes narrowed.

"Ohh," Donnie sighed, backing down. He glanced at Raph, who was giving him a teasing grin.

"Raph, stop it," Leo growled, stepping between the two brothers. "You both did a number on each other. I should have made you two spar against each other instead."

"Oh, that can still be arranged," Raph smirked, pulling out his sais and spinning them.

"Bring it on! I can beat someone who has nothing in his skull," Donnie growled, pulling out his bo staff.

"Hey! I'm not Mikey!"

"Uhm, I'm right here," Mikey said, a bit annoyed.

"Hmm, sometimes I can't tell the difference," Donnie grinned, his eyes narrowing down. "You both are just so alike."

"Seriously? Be a little sensitive, D," Mikey whined, crossing his arms.

"Oh, that's it! I'll wipe that ugly gap-toothed grin right off your pear-shaped head!" Raph yelled, ready to charge at Donnie.

Leo, becoming annoyed with his brothers' antics, pushed both Donnie and Raph down to the ground very hard. Mikey and Casey stiffened up, looking at each other.

"Whoa, Leo, you okay?" Casey asked hesitantly. He didn't want to find out how much pain Raph and Donnie were in.

"Yeah, Casey, I'm fine," Leo replied, eyeing his two brothers on the ground. He gave them both a little smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, don't rub it in. I got beat down in a sec by a guy with a bum leg," Raph mumbled, giving Leo a little smile back.

"You know it," Leo laughed, pulling Raph up to his feet. He turned and held his hand out to Donnie.

"Nuh uh," Donnie said, shaking his head.

"C'mon, Don," Leo said, giving him a warm smile. "I needed to find a way to get you two from tearing each other apart."

"Mmph," Donnie grunted, grabbing Leo's hand. He hopped up on his feet. "Well, at least you admit I'm strong, Leo."

"Uh huh," Leo rolled his eyes, giving Donnie a light push. "Okay, listen, guys. April wants to spar with you."

"She doesn't have to ask," Mikey replied, confused. "She could have just jumped in, Leo. We all know that."

"Obviously, Mikey," Leo sighed, slumping his shoulders as if he was tired. "What I meant is- she says that she knows when you guys are going easy on her. She wants sparring sessions where there's no holding back- a full on battle, I guess you can call it. She just wants a fair spar where she can find out what to improve on."

"And what did you tell her, exactly?" Raph questioned slowly.

"I told her okay."

"Well, who's going first then?" Mikey asked.

"I'll do it," Casey grinned, pulling down his sprayed-on hockey mask. "Casey Jones is-"

"Whoa whoa, what makes you think you can go first?" Mikey interrupted, pointing his finger in Casey's face. "I'm clearly the best ninja on this team! Nunchucks are better weapons than a whacking stick."

"Okay, Mikey, lying isn't a good thing," Donnie said, giving him a smug look.

"Watch where you put your puck, Mikey. I'll wipe it clean outta yer mouth," Casey threatened.

"All right, shut up guys," Leo said, stopping them. "Mikey will go first."

"Best ninjas go first," Mikey smirked as he made his way over to April. The guys began making their way toward April. Raph slumped a bit, becoming uneasy. He sighed and slowly followed behind them, unsure about how to feel about all of this.


	3. Sparring with Mikey

As all the guys approached her, April stood up and placed her hands on her hips.

"All right, who's going down first?" April asked smugly.

"You'll be going down courtesy of the awesome Michelangelo!" Mikey roared, feeling confident.

"All right then, freckles, let's do this."

"Hey, you have freckles too," Mikey replied, grabbing his nunchucks.

Leo, Donnie, Casey and Raph all sat down, giving a respectful amount of distance to avoid harm's way. Casey and Donnie shoved each other a bit to get a better view before anything happened. Getting annoyed, Raph pushed them aside and gave them a glare.

"Stop horsin' around and keep your big heads outta my face," Raph said, quieting them down.

"Thank you," Leo sighed happily, ready to watch.

Michelangelo bent his knees, positioning himself. He pulled out his nunchucks from his belt, spinning them around. He curled his toes in the ground, waiting for the right moment. He narrowed his eyes, his usual battle smile growing on his face. He pushed out his playful thoughts with Ice Cream Kitty and began to concentrate.

Meanwhile, April stood up straight, clenching her hand tightly. She furrowed her eyebrows, giving Mikey a challenging look. She quickly whipped out her tessen, opening it and waving it toward her face. She huffed, smiling.

"Bring it on, Mikey," she said, getting ready.

"Ladies first," Mikey replied.

"Such a gentleman, Mikey," April put one leg in front of the other, deciding how to charge.

"I know, that's how I do," Mikey stood his ground, his smile slowly fading. He knew it was about to begin.

Silence filled the outside along with the sound of the wind. It was a bright, sunny day. The air was warm and entwined with the cooling wind, making the air feel like the perfect temperature. Some leaves were dancing high in the air, but slowly they all fell on the ground. Leo, Raph, Donnie and Casey were all waiting anxiously for the sparring to begin. Leo had dug his fingers into the grass, Raph had leaned forward, Donnie widened his eyes, and Casey held his breath. Finally, someone ran.

April ran towards Michelangelo, aiming to strike him from the right. She wouldn't use her tessen just yet, just her fists. Mikey jumped to his left, quickly lurking behind her. He let out a little grin, only increasing April's want to attack. She went for his torso, only briefly striking him. He backflipped away as she made several attempts to hit Mikey. She let grunts escape her lips with every attempt. Mikey laid himself on the floor, caught her legs between his, twisted his hips and down she went on her back.

"April! Are you okay?" Donnie and Casey yelled in unison, concerned.

Paying no attention to them, April kicked her leg up and struck Mikey on the chin, sending him down to the ground. She leaped up on her feet, her hands balled into fists.

"Is that all you've got?" April yelled.

"Booyakasha!" Mikey yelled, running towards her with nunchucks spinning.

"Oh, earlier than expected," she said, tessen ready.

Mikey slashed one of his nunchucks forward only for it to be met with a tessen. They hopped around, their weapons constantly smashing. Mikey narrowed his eyes and struck with a bit more force, knocking April's tessen out of her hand. She saw it fly away, landing on the handrails of the stairs on the farmhouse. She took a step back, looking at her opponent. Mikey started to cease the spinning of his weapons. She huffed and charged toward him, punching his shoulder. He stumbled back a bit, quickly recovering from the blow. He charged at her, one of his weapons being knocked out from his hand by her foot. He jumped up, landing directly in front of her. Surprised and trying to back away, she was tripped and knocked down.

"Whoa, Red!" Casey yelled, running toward her.

"April!" Donatello cried, quickly running past Casey.

"Mikey, what the heck was that?" Casey growled, about to pull out his hockey stick.

"Whoa oh," Leonardo said, worried about things escalating. With the help of Raphael, he got up and quickly went over where the sparring had ceased. Raph went over to April and Donnie, being sure that Leo could handle Casey.

"Casey, bro, take it easy!" Mikey urged, backing away from Casey, who was ready to fight. "Ahh! Ah, AHH!"

Pulling out one of his katanas, Leo stepped in front of his littlest brother, prepared to fight if necessary.

"Back off, Casey," Leo said, giving a very threatening glare that made Casey grimace. He'd never received such a fearsome glare from Leo. Raph, maybe, but not Leo.

"You don't scare me, Leo," Casey retorted, clenching onto his hockey stick. "Guys with stump legs are no threat."

"Casey, what the hell?" Raph growled as he heard his big brother being insulted for something he couldn't help.

"Casey!" April yelled, enraged by what Casey said.

"Oh, you want to point out my injury, Jones?" Leo growled, dropping his katana. He clenched his fists, popping his knuckles.

"Oh no," Mikey whispered, extremely worried. He didn't want to be the cause of someone being hurt.

Leonardo stopped himself before he did something he really wanted to do but knew wasn't right. He turned around and looked at his youngest brother, giving him a pat on the shoulder, congratulating him and giving him a look to reassure him that he was okay. Leo knew Mikey was extremely worried about his feelings. He looked down at April and offered his hand. She gave him a sad smile, grabbing it. He pulled her up and gave her a light squeeze on the shoulder. She knew Leo was telling her a job well done. She knew Mikey won fair and square and wasn't upset. Raph and Donnie looked at their older brother, not knowing whether they should speak or not. Leo caught their glances and gave them a reassuring smile, heading for the farmhouse, his back fully turned on Casey.

"Donnie, your turn to spar with April," was all he said before he slammed the front door, secluding himself in the farmhouse.


	4. The Basement

Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, April and Casey had all stood in an awkward silence as Leonardo secluded himself in the farmhouse. Mikey headed over to April and Donnie, feeling a bit at fault for it all.

"April? Uhm, I'm really sorry for hurting you," Mikey said, looking down at the grass.

"Mikey, I'm not mad. This is what I wanted- fair and square sparring. You won, and that's it," April smiled, giving him a reassuring smile as she hugged him. "It's really okay, Mikey. But next time, I'll wipe those freckles off of your face."

"Oh, you're on," Mikey smiled, hugging her back. He pulled away, looking at his older brother Donnie. Donnie gave Mikey a small smile and patted his shell.

It had been a while since Leo charged in the house. During that time, Mikey went to feed the chickens, Donnie went to his lab in the farm shack, Raph secluded himself and had his back turned to everyone, sitting on the tree stump, and April went to get her tessen. Casey didn't know what to do, so he just stood where he had made a big mistake. He went over to April, waiting for her to stand up so he could talk to her. As soon as she did, she looked up and gave him a mean look.

"Look, Red, I-"

"You shouldn't be apologizing to me, Casey. I asked for legit sparring sessions and that's what happened," April turned around and headed to go sit down by Raph.

She slowly sat down, at first saying nothing to him. She knew Raph was extremely upset with Casey- heck, they all probably were. Casey had basically made fun of Leo for something that he couldn't take control of. She then turned to him, waiting for him to do something. Raph was looking out into the woods, his breathing slow and steady. She could hear him letting out little puffs of anger. Raph tightened his grip on the rim of the tree stump, closing his eyes. He couldn't wait anymore. He had to go see how Leo was holding up.

"I'm gonna go see how Leo's doin'," Raph stated, standing up.

"Do you want to go alone?" April asked.

"You can come if you want. I just think I gave him enough time to himself."

"I'll just wait out here and spar with Donnie."

"All right. You better beat him down for me, April," Raph joked, elbowing her slightly. "I'll be out soon enough."

"I'll try my best," she smiled.

Raphael gave her a little smile and started to head for the farm house. Casey was eyeing him and was debating whether or not he should go with Raph. As Raph was a little ahead of him, he started to follow. Raph stopped dead in his tracks and quickly turned around, meeting Casey's trembling face.

"Raph, please, dude, just let me go see him," Casey stated, taking a step back.

"Why should ya go see him? You hurt him. You're lucky I haven't hurt you yet," Raph sneered.

"C'mon, Raph, I'll jus-"

"Stay back, Jones," Raph growled, pushing Casey back a bit. "I ain't lettin' ya try to get near my big brother."

"Raph, I," Casey didn't know what to say, so he backed down. He went around and stepped in front of the farmhouse.

"Oh no you don't, Jones, I'm not gonna let ya even hear us talk."

"Let me go talk to him, Raph. He's not a limp or anythi-" Casey stopped himself quickly. "I- I meant wimp, I-"

"That was fucked up, Jones," Raphael growled, pushing Casey aside as he made his way to the farmhouse. "That's a new low, even for you."

Raph went upstairs, knocked on the door slightly and entered the house, looking outside before he shut the door. Casey looked up at him, which Raph returned with a glare. He shut the door, starting to look for Leonardo.

Raphael had looked in the kitchen, the living room, upstairs, and in the back of the house. He even looked in the bathroom. He triple checked just to make sure. Where the heck was his big brother? He heard a noise coming from below the floorboards. He opened the hatch to the basement and saw that the weak, flickering light was on. He climbed down and looked around. The Kraang ship lights weren't on, so he suspected Leonardo wasn't in there. He ran to the back of the ship, jumped up at the top- not there. He jumped down and found Leo sitting in a wooden chair, slumped down with his head in his hands. Raph frowned, sighing. He couldn't stand to see Leo being down about his leg. Leo couldn't help it and it was a long road to recovery.

Leo sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes closed. It was aching a bit. He had been slumping like this ever since he came down to the basement. He just didn't know what to do. He knew it was a good thing that he resisted his bad urges, but it was eating him up. It irked him so much that one of his close friends would use something that made him feel so upset about himself against him. He can't help having a stupid bum leg. Recovery is a long road and recently, it hasn't bugged him. He was so deep in thought that he didn't even hear his young brother kneel down in front of him. Raph placed his hand on Leo's knee, making Leo jump a bit. He opened and laid his eyes on the hand on his knee, instantly knowing which brother was with him based on the skin color. He tilted his head up and met Raph's gaze.

"Hey, Leo," Raph said softly.

"Hi, Raph," Leo replied, his voice husky. He hadn't spoke for a while. He cleared his throat, smiling a bit. "Sorry. Hey."

"Fallin' asleep?"

"Heh, nah."

"I can get you a pillow and a blanket."

"Psht, okay, Raph."

"How ya feelin'? You look... irked. Is it 'cause I woke ya up?"

"No, Raph," Leo chuckled, then sighed. "N-no. I am irked."

"Why?"

"I just- I've never been that defensive- that aggravated around anyone before. I really wanted to teach him a lesson- like, I wanted to stand up for myself, but I didn't want to stoop down to a low level like he did. I'm glad I defended Mikey before Casey could hurt him 'cause then Casey would have been a pulp by now, but he used my own weakness against me. Tha-that isn't right. That's down right disgusting. Using something that could hurt someone's feelings against them is just awful. I don't know how to get over this. It isn't the fact that my leg makes me less of a leader, prevents me from doing things or that people are less threatened by me. It's just the fact that Casey used something that I'm touchy about against me. I didn't think he was that kind of person."

Raphael didn't know what to say at first. Leonardo had a point. It was really wrong of Casey to do something like that. How could anyone forgive something like that? It's horrible! Raph tried to gather the most positive advice he possibly could for something like this.

"Listen, Leo. I don't know what to tell ya. I'm really ticked at him, too. But, sometimes people use stuff like this to win an argument. It's low, but it's how it is sometimes on the bad side of town, and sometimes it works out for them. Casey probably didn't mean it- I dunno- but I'm not really sure. You know how he is- he's got the rules of the road and all that shit-"

"Raph," Leo sighed, giving him a little stern look.

"Can't help but to cuss, Leo, don't interrupt, dork. Anyways, maybe he just did it to win. It's a stupid and disrespectful thing, but yeah."

"Well, that's a shitty thing," Leo mumbled, looking at his bum leg. Raph's hand was still on the knee of his bum leg. Raph gave Leo a little squeeze, making sure Leo knew he was there for him. Leo gave a little smile and placed his hand on top of Raph's, giving Raph a squeeze.

Raph looked up at Leo. Leo eased up and smiled warmly at Raph.

"I'll kill ya if you tell anyone I did this-" Raph started.

"Did wha-" Leo was cut off. Raph wrapped his arms around Leo's waist, laid his head down on Leo's lap and hugged him.

Leo was startled. He just looked down at Raph's head. He felt- warm. He felt wanted, loved, important. He felt like everything was going to be okay. No good feeling between his family could compare to this. This feeling made him feel like he was on top of the world, like those that surrounded him really wanted him in their lives. He just felt good. He smiled a big, dorky grin and teared up, leaning his head down and placing his forehead on the top of Raph's head. He felt so happy. He started to shake a little bit.

Raph could feel Leo shaking. Leo hadn't shook since they were kids- he knew Leo was tearing up. Raph huffed out the breath he'd been holding in since he started the hug and smiled. He slowly pulled away from Leo. Leo looked up and looked at Raph, a bit disappointed. Leo felt the hug wasn't long enough.

"Calm down, dork," Raph chuckled. He grabbed Leo's wrist and pulled him down from the chair onto the floor. They were now both on their knees. Leo looked at Raph confused. Raph leaned into Leo and gave Leo a proper hug, hugging him tightly.

"R-Raph," Leo choked, his arms at his side at the moment.

"You can cry if you need to. I won't tell anyone. I'm always gonna be here for ya, big brother."

"Oh my god," Leo choked, grabbing onto Raph tightly, bringing him closer. He laid his head on Raph's shoulder, violently sobbing.

"It's okay, Leo," Raph cooed, rubbing Leo's shell. "It's okay."

"I just-oh my god," Leo croaked, trying to explain himself. "This- I really need this-"

"Leo," Raph said.

"Y-yeah?"

"Shut up and cry."

Leo laughed and quickly went back to crying. He let out all sorts of sobs; pained sobs, guilty sobs, happy sobs- he let out all the feelings he's been holding in for so long. He dug his fingers into Raph's skin, which Raph didn't mind. After a while, Leo started to cease his sobbing. He felt... light. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of his chest. His head wasn't hurting, his chest felt better, he wasn't tense. He was better. He sniffled and lifted his head up. He pulled away and smiled at Raph.

"Thanks for being there for me, Raph."

"Anytime, bro. Let's go watch Donnie lose," Raph said, standing up. He helped Leo up and grabbed the wooden crutch, heading out of the basement. Leo followed and walked out of the farmhouse to the outside with Raph by side. He forgot what he even went inside for until his eyes fell on Casey.

He stopped on the way down the stairs, which caught Raph's attention. Raph turned and looked behind him. Leo huffed and looked at April and Donnie, who were ready to spar. Leo made his way down the stairs with Raph helping him down. Leo took his spot on the tree stump. Mikey scooted his way next to Leo and looked up at him.

Leo smiled and rubbed his hand on Mikey's head, reassuring Mikey he was okay now. Mikey smiled and examined Leo's eyes. Leo forgot he cried and probably didn't think as to how he looked. Raph sat down next to Mikey, smacking him upside the head, directing Mikey's attention away from Leo. Leo smiled and put his focus on Donnie and April, who were about to spar.

"Leo," Casey said, looking up at him.

"Hmm?" Leo hummed.

"Look, I'm really sorry I said that. It was an asshole-y thing of me to do. I didn't mean it- I just wanted to let it be known that I wouldn't back down."

"Well, you could have said 'I'm not gonna back down'. That's a way to state it."

"I know. I'm really sorry, Leo. Can you forgive me?"

Leo thought about it. Could he forgive Casey? He looked around. He looked at Mikey and Raph, who were playing around and poking each other. He looked at April and Donnie, who were talking to each other. Donnie trying to be his cool self slips a bit but jumps right back in the conversation. He thinks of his father and Karai. He thinks of all the allies he's made and the friends. He sighs.

"Yeah, I can. I'm not going to hold this bad moment in your life only to use it against you to my advantage. Even though you really don't deserve to be forgiven, I will."

Raph looks at Leo and gives him a respectful smile. It takes a lot to look past something as serious as this.

"Thanks, Leo, it won't happen again."

"All right, Don, are we gonna see some sparring or what?" Mikey yelled. "I'm getting bored!"

"Let's spar then," April said, giving Donnie a challenging smile.


	5. Sparring with Donnie

The limelight was on Donatello and April.

Donnie paced his breathing, getting his focus together. He placed his hands together and pulled them in and out along with his breathing.

April had stretched already and took notes on how to do better from her sparring with Mikey. She became impatient and overconfident with Mikey, which brought her down the first time. Impatience was the big factor on her downfall. She was determined to collect patience throughout this sparring session.

"Hey, Leo," Raphael whispered.

"Yeah?"

"When they're about to start, you should do the thing."

"Oh, I don't know, Raph," Leonardo whispered, uncertain.

"C'mon. It'll be awesome."

"What are we talking about?" Michelangelo asked, curious.

"Just say 'Leo, do it', Mikey."

"Uhm, okay. Leo, do it!"

"I don't know, guys..."

"I can't agree if I don't know, bros," Mikey whispered, lost. Raph whispered in his ear, and Mikey shot up excitedly. "Leo you better do it, bro!"

"Mm," Leo hummed. "Maybe."

"He's gonna do it!" Mikey squealed.

The sound of the whirring of Donnie's bo staff caught the turtles' attention. Donnie had positioned himself with both his hands clenched on, his staff pointing to his opponent. One leg was in front of the other in preparation to either charge forwards or retreat back. He narrowed his eyes, ready to fight.

April had her body turned, her legs and arms bent, her tessen reflecting the sunlight. It shined beautifully.

"Leo, do it!" Mikey and Raph urged, looking at him anxiously.

Leo sighed and stood up. He grabbed his crutch and placed it in front of him, laying his hands on top of it. He stood up straight, gave a concentrated glance towards Donnie and April, and gathered up as much confidence as he could.

" _Hajime._ "

Donnie and April paused, looking at each other, then Leo, then back at each other. They smiled, ready to obey the command.  
Raph, Mikey and Casey looked at Leo in awe. Leo had said it firmly and it just made everything seem a bit better. Everyone was awestruck.  
Leo breathed out the breath he held in, feeling proud of himself. He sat down and just couldn't believe he did that.

"You heard him," April said, waving her tessen in her direction.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Donnie asked smugly.

"Hmm, lemme think," April said, tapping the edge of her tessen on her chin.

Donatello chuckled lightly, charging at her. She blocked his blow with the tessen, taking multiple steps back.

"Yeah! Show him who's boss, April!" Raph yelled. "Kick his shell for me!"

"Hey!" Donnie yelled, his eyes averted at Raph.

April, taking this as an opportunity, threw her tessen towards Donnie, his attention still on Raph. He held his staff up, the tessen striking in it and becoming stuck on it. Donnie averted his eyes back to April, giving her a smirk. He knew she would attack with his attention- he had plans for every possible attack. Raph groaned, crossing his arms. Donnie gave Raph a quick smug look. April huffed, but wouldn't give up. She charged, jumped down, slid on the grass and rotated, sending Donnie down to the ground.

"Yes! Finally! Thank you!" Raph yelled, giving Donnie a grin.

"Can it, Raph!" Donnie yelled back, jumping back on his feet. Still having ahold of the staff and the tessen, he leaped up in the air, flipped and was in the position to kick mid-air. April stepped back, trying her best to avoid the kicks. Donnie pulled out her tessen from his bo staff and threw it towards her. It flew past her right side, but it cut the sleeve of her shirt and landed far behind her.

"Whoa, D!" Mikey cheered, amazed. "I didn't know you had that in you!"

April narrowed her eyes, her fists at the ready. Donnie charged once again, blocking her punches with his arms. He was getting used to it, becoming a bit confident. Suddenly, April grabbed his staff out from his hands, hit the back of his knees and down he went. As she was about to run for her tessen, Donnie tripped her, grabbing his staff, then running for her weapon. She growled and quickly got up, racing past Donnie and grabbing her tessen before he could. She struck her free hand out, striking Donnie's chin. She gave him a smirk, folding her arms across her chest.

"O'Neil, you're funny if you think I'm giving up," Donnie whispered, jumping once again back on his feet.

"They've been at it for like, 2 hours, Leo," Casey whined, bored.

"Leo, can you make it stop, please?" Mikey begged, yawning.

"Bro, you might as well call it. They can't beat each other. They don't spar a lot together," Raph said, shrugging his shoulders. "It shouldn't mean anything but you might as well call it quits."

"Okay, okay," Leo said, annoyed of the pleads.

"You're going down, Donnie," April panted, aiming her tessen at Donnie.

"Uh huh, wha-whatever you say," Donnie breathed heavily. They were both tired out but would not give up.

" _Teishi_ ," Leo stated firmly. "Guys, stop, c'mon. You guys are done."

"Ohmygod," April sighed, collapsing onto the cool, wet grass. "Ohmygod, thank you, Leo." She raised her hand to cover her eyes from the sun.

"Oh man," Donnie panted, placing his hands on his knees as he bent down to calm down. "That was killer."

"One more round... and I... and I woulda pounded you to the ground... Donnie," April panted with smugness.

"Uh huh, oh-okay," Donnie chuckled. He couldn't bare to stand anymore. His hands slipped off his knees and he fell down flat on his torso.

"D-Donnie, are you okay?" April asked, looking over at him. "Donnie? Donnie!"

"Shhh," Donnie hushed, closing his eyes.

April smiled, relieved. She felt relaxed enough, so she sat up. She turned her head to look at Mikey, Raph, Leo and Casey, who were all stretching to keep themselves awake. She knew it took a long time, but she learned that she should learn more moves. She examined the moves Donnie used on her and used them against him, which he congratulated her for. She's a quick learner. She tilted her head back, letting the wind cool her off.

After a while, she checked on Donnie to see if he was okay. She shook his arms and he didn't reply. She kept shaking him, slapping him, poking him, but got no response. She flipped him over to his shell and checked for a pulse. Leo looked over and went over to April and Donnie, worried.

"Is Donnie okay?" Leo asked, bending down slowly to check on his young brother.

"Y-yeah, he has a pulse," she said, sounding puzzled.

"He knocked out," Raph said from behind her, bending down to grab his legs. "Mikey, get his arms."

"Dang, D sparred himself to sleep! That is so rad!" Mikey exclaimed, grabbing Donnie's arms. Mikey and Raph lifted him up and made their way up the stairs. Leo opened the front door for them and followed them up the stairs, where he opened the door to the room Donnie crashes in. Raph and Mikey plopped Donnie down on the bed, trying to fit all his long limbs on the bed. Mikey grabbed a blanket and covered Donnie with it. Leo eyed Mikey, giving him a weird look along with a small smile. "What? He gets cold, Leo."

"No problem with it, Mikey. It's sweet," Leo said, wrapping his arm around Mikey's shoulders. "Just wondering why you don't do that with me, little brother."

"I'm afraid I'll somehow slip on your leg, bro," Mikey admitted, giving Leo a sad smile, shrugging. Leo looked at Mikey, giving him an awestruck look. Mikey was the most sweetest and innocent guy he knew. He didn't know what he would do without his littlest brother.

"Well, I'll look forward to a blanket tonight, Mikey. That is, if you don't fall asleep by a sugar crash," Leo chuckled, heading down the stairs with Mikey. Raph followed behind, flicking the tails of their bandannas. April made her way up the stairs, a heating pad in her hand and a wet cloth in the other.

"Hey, guys, I'm gonna call it a night. We'll spar tomorrow, Raph?" April asked.

"Uhm, sure," Raph replied, shrugging. "Night, April."

"Night Raph. Night Mikey, night Leo, night Casey," she yawned, entering Donnie's room.

It was around 3 in the morning. Leonardo and Michelangelo had fallen asleep watching a Crognard the Barbarian marathon. Mikey leaned his head on Leo's shoulder and was snuggled into Leo. Leo's head was leaning on top of Mikey's head. They were both lightly snoring.

Mikey looked as comfortable as he could be. Leo looked comfy, but something was off. Leo's good leg was comfortable, but his bum leg didn't seem like it. Leo stirred in his slumber trying to position it comfortably, but couldn't find one. Raph got up from his chair, placed a pillow under Leo's knee, moved his legs onto a cushioned nightstand, and Leo stopped stirring, a little smile on his face. Raph grabbed a blanket and covered his two dorky, blue-eyed brothers with it so that they wouldn't get cold.

Raph made his way into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. He slugged over to the freezer, opening it to get an ice cube. Ice Cream Kitty woke up and handed Raph one, then went back to sleep. Raph smiled tiredly and petted her head, then closed the freezer. He took a sip of his water and turned around, where he saw Casey grabbing a glass of tap water.

"What's up, Raph?" Casey yawned, covered in grease and rust.

"Nothin'," Raph replied, a bit hostile. Casey sensed this and became puzzled.

"You alright?" Casey asked. "Is there somethin' up?"

"I dunno, Jones. I feel like you got off a bit too easy for what you did earlier."

"Listen, Raph, Leo said it was cool," Casey said, keeping a distance.

"Yeah, but you hurt my brother. I can't let that slide as easily as it did, Jones. Hope we spar again later today." With that, Raph drank the rest of his water, set it down loudly, gave Casey a threatening grin and headed back for his chair in the living room.


	6. The New Day

It was around 2 in the afternoon. The day was a bit cooler than yesterday, but it was still warm. Casey found many ways to avoid Raph, working on the car as one of the ways. April, Casey, Michelangelo and Raphael were the only ones awake.

Donatello was still sleeping since he fell asleep on the grass, but April stayed up long enough to make sure he was okay. He had actually woken up around 4 in the morning and saw April asleep in the chair in his room. He grasped the fact that she stayed up to make sure he was okay. He grabbed her and placed her on his bed and made the chair as comfy as he could for him to sleep on, drank a glass of water, then fell back asleep.

Leonardo was exhausted. After pouring out tears to Raphael in the basement, he felt tired out. Mikey grabbed him glasses of water to make him feel better, then they both tuned to the Crognard marathon. Even though he was very tired, Mikey fell asleep before Leo did. Mikey had snuggled into Leo as he fell asleep. Every time his littlest brother snuggled into him more, he got more tired. It wasn't until Raph came in with two glasses of water for him and Leo to drink that he closed his eyes. Raph urged Leo to drink the water before he fell asleep or else he would force it down himself. Leo drank it, thanked Raph and wished him a good night.

As for April, she woke up very comfortable. She felt the soft surface beneath her and shot up, looking around the room for Donnie. She saw that he had slept on the chair she fell asleep on, assuming he placed her on the bed so that she could sleep comfortably. She stretched her arms up, lifted her chest up and yawned, getting up. She grabbed the warm blanket from the bed and replaced it with the very thin blanket Donnie had wrapped around him. She rubbed the corners of his mouth, gave the sleeping Donnie a warm smile, and went downstairs.

Michelangelo slept as comfortably as he could ever be. He snuggled into Leonardo's lap, each time more comfy than the other, had one arm wrapped around Leo's waist and the other laid straight out on Leo's lap, curled his legs into his chest, and lightly snored. He felt like he was sleeping on a giant, warm marshmallow and it was the best sleep he ever got. When he woke up, he looked up at Leo, who was still sound asleep. Mikey lifted Leo's blue bandanna up a bit, seeing that there were bags under Leo's eyes. Mikey concluded that Leo wouldn't wake up for a while and was determined to make his big brother as comfy as he could get him. He slowly got up to avoid waking Leo up, placed one hand behind Leo's head and the other on Leo's torso, slowly sliding Leo down to where he could lay asleep. He placed a fluffy pillow under Leo's head, then proceeded to Leo's hands. He placed them on Leo's torso, having one lay on top the other. He saw that Leo's bum leg had been pampered, so he slowly slid it up where it would lay out flat. He had Leo's other leg bent up slightly, then placed a warm blanket on Leo. Mikey wrapped his fingers together and gave a sweet, warm smile down at his brother, who looked comfy and breathed out little soft snores.

Raphael had slept on his sofa chair in the living room. After he made his older brother drink the water, he watched over him to make sure Leo fell asleep soundly. He had pampered Leo's leg, went to the kitchen, talked to Casey, and returned to the living room. He burned out the fireplace since it was getting a bit too warm for his liking and watched some Crognard. He heard Casey make his way upstairs, where the water in the bathroom turned on. Raph eyed his brother for a while just to make sure that Leo was comfortable. Leo had a long day and he knew that even though he let it out to him, no one can let go of something like that. Every time Leo stirred, Raph got up to make sure he was okay. After awhile, the news came on, which made Raph knock out cold. What woke him up was a humming Mikey that was making his way out of the living room. He opened his eyes slowly and rubbed his eyes, yawning. He looked over to the couch and didn't see Leo there. He got up and saw that Mikey had laid Leo out comfortably. Leo was lightly snoring and seemed comfy. Raph patted Leo's shoulder lightly and made his way to the kitchen, where he met April and Mikey.

"Well, well, well, looks like we're the only dudes and dudette awake," Mikey smiled.

"No, Casey's awake somewhere," April yawned, stretching.

"What about Don?" Raph asked April. "Is he awake yet?"

"Nope. But I know he woke up 'cause he moved me to the bed and slept on the chair. I set him up so he was comfy. That chair is killer."

"Hey, April, wanna help me make some eggs?" Mikey chirped.

"Sure, but only if you get the eggs," she smiled.

"All right! Be back. Don't miss me too much, Raph," Mikey smirked.

"The horror of your missing presence will be the end of me," Raph said sarcastically.

"I know. I can't imagine," Mikey said, patting Raph's shell and making his way to the chickens outside.

"You gonna grab some eggs, Raph?"

"Sure, save me some. I'm gonna check on Donnie," Raph said, blinking slowly.

"Wait, before you go up there," April interrupted, grabbing his face. She rubbed her thumb on the corner of his eyes to help him wake up a bit. "There ya go."

"Thanks, April," Raph said, messing her hair up a bit. "I'll get you a brush. Your hair's a bit outta place," he chuckled.

"Thanks for making it better," she replied, heading in the kitchen as he went upstairs.

Raphael opened the door to Donnie's room and looked inside. It was a bit cold in there. He knew Donnie can get cold easily, so he decided to plop Donnie on the bed. It was way warmer than the wooden chair. He cupped the tall brother's body in his arms and gently laid him down on the bed. Donnie had been shivering, so Raph decided to layer him. He got the very thin blanket and placed it on Donnie, then the thick blanket on top. He put a pillow beside Donnie's head since Donnie would stir in his sleep sometimes. After he felt Donnie was warm enough, he headed out and closed the door. He made his way to the bathroom where he bumped into Casey, who was heading out.

"Oh, hello, Casey Jones," Raph greeted him, his voice a bit casual yet menacing.

"Oh, uhm, hey, Raph," Casey stammered, sliding his way past Raph.

"See ya 'round, Jones," Raph chirped, making sure Casey got the hint. He freshened up, grabbed a hairbrush, made his way downstairs and went into the kitchen.

Mikey and April had made platters of eggs. Mikey brought out Ice Cream Kitty and fed her some milk. Raph petted her head, making her purr. Mikey smiled at Raph for making a nice gesture to his best friend. April handed a plate of eggs and a glass of water to Raph. He handed her the brush, grabbed his breakfast, gave her a thankful smile and went into the living room.

Smelling food, Leonardo slowly stirred and woke up. He mumbled something inaudibly. Raph heard Leo mumbling and placed his food on the little table beside his chair and went over to Leo. Leo's eyes were narrowed as he was adjusting to the light. Raph knelt down in front of Leo. Leo looked around and finally his eyes fell on Raph. Then his eyes fell on Mikey, who was hovering behind Raph. Leo chuckled a little bit, which confused Raph. Raph looked behind him and yelped, then growled at Mikey. Mikey smiled nervously and bent down next to Raph.

"Hey, bro, you okay?" Mikey whispered, trying to be quiet around Leo.

"Uhm, yeah," Leo replied raspily. "Oh dang, my throat is dry."

"Here, drink some water," Raph suggested, handing him the water he hadn't sipped yet.

"You want some eggs, Leo?" Mikey asked, waving the plate in front of him.

"Please," Leo whispered, sitting up so he could drink the water and eat. "Thanks, Mikey. Thank April for me, will ya?"

"Okay, will do," Mikey smiled, going back to the kitchen.

"You feeling okay, Leonardo?"

"Yeah. I'm just tired," Leo replied, patting Raph's head. "Thanks for making my leg comfy. And for getting the blanket for me and Mikey."

"Don't mention it," Raph said, looking away. He was caught. Leo chuckled, which turned to a fit of coughing. "Drink your water, Leo."

"No, I'm fin-"

"Leo. Drink. Your. Water."

"Hmmph," Leo mumbled, drinking the water. "Go eat your eggs before they get cold, Raph."

"Okay," Raph smiled, getting up and finishing his meal. Casey strode in and greeted Leo, turned and jumped by the sight of Raph, and quickly walked away. Raph smiled smugly.

Leo saw this and eyed Raph a little bit. He thought it over and let the feeling pass, finishing his eggs. He grabbed his wooden crutch and got up slowly, making his way to the kitchen. He hissed a little bit as he felt his leg weaken. Raph got up with his platter and saw Leo struggling, so he grabbed Leo's plate with one hand and used his free arm to help Leo to the kitchen. Leo greeted April and leaned against the counter, offering to do the dishes. Leo turned on the water and washed the dishes, wanting to help out.

"April, where's Donnie?" Leo asked, looking around.

"He's asleep," she replied, putting the leftovers in the microwave.

"Oh. I'm gonna go check on him," Leo said, making his way out. He slowly made his way up the stairs, opened the door, and went over to Donnie.

He sat down beside his sleeping brother and examined him. He lifted Donnie's purple mask up a bit to see if he had bags under his eyes like he did, which Donnie did. Leo bit the inside of his cheeks, a habit of his. Leo stayed beside Donnie for awhile, just waiting for him to wake up. A few minutes passed by and Donnie woke up, instantly sitting up. Donnie smacked his lips and was surprised to see Leo sitting by him.

"Hey, Leo," Donnie yawned, blinking his eyes quickly.

"Hey, rotten egg," Leo smiled. Being the last one to wake up in the house, Donnie was the rotten egg. Donnie smiled a bit, sighing out a breath.

"You okay?" Donnie asked, eyeing Leo. He noticed Leo still looked as if he wanted to curl up and sleep.

"Yeah, Don, I'm okay, just really tired is all."

"I know how you feel, Leo," Donnie chirped, stirring his legs. "Mm, I'm all warm and toasty."

"Sorry to spoil it, but you should get down there before the eggs get cold."

"Mm, that sounds so good," Donnie replied, sliding out of bed. "C'mon, Leo, you gotta carry me down."

"Haha, I might take you up on that."

"And why is that?"

"So I can throw you down," Leo chuckled, giving Donnie a little shove. He looked down at his leg, frowning a bit.

"Leo, are you sure you're okay?" Donnie asked, turning his back to the door. "Are you dehydrated? Are you upset?"

"I guess," Leo sighed. "I, I sorta cried yesterday. Well, not sorta. I cried 'til my eyes started to sting. I guess it just got to me, Donnie."

"I know you're all about honor, but we wouldn't have blamed you if you gave Casey what he was asking for."

"Maybe, but I just couldn't. I don't know what held me back, honestly."

Raph had been listening to Donnie and Leo talk from the hallway. Knowing how Leo was feeling, it enraged him more. No one could easily get to Leo. But if they did, they deserved a real good beat down. Raph sighed and strode downstairs, letting Leo and Donnie talk. Raph was determined to make sure Casey got what he deserved. He won't let something like this to slide by without consequence.


	7. Raph and Casey

"I don't know, Donnie. I didn't want to stoop down to a level as shitty as that," Leonardo explained, sitting on the bed.

"I can understand that, but you weren't using something against him," Donatello retorted.

"It's not the fact that I'm less of a leader for my stupid bum leg, the fact that people fear me less since I have a weak spot, or the fact that I'm limited to everyday things. It's just the pure fact that he went that low just to win an argument. It, it hurt, Donnie. It's total bullshit."

"Leo, your injury doesn't make you less of a leader. You just have to find ways to overcome it as you recover, you know that. You're letting Casey get to you. His statement is affecting your thoughts and judgement. We all really want to give Casey what for. I can especially see that in Mikey. Mikey is really ticked off. When you stormed into the farmhouse, we went to my lab and he was just telling me how mad he was. You should have heard him. I've never heard him that pissed off before. He was just so upset and he felt at fault too. I assured him it wasn't his fault. But he's really mad. I told him that he should go blow off some steam later somehow but I don't know if he did or not."

"Oh, he did. We watched the Crognard marathon together, which I think kinda cheered him up," Leo chuckled at the memory of his youngest brother reenacting Crognard as they watched episodes. "But, I get where you're comin' from. When I woke up, Raph and Mikey were right there, waiting for me to say or do something. Mikey asked me if I was okay and I told him yeah, obviously. I could see he was a bit tensed up but after I reassured him, he relaxed, but when he was heading out, I could see that face he makes. That really rare one, yanno- like he was relaxed but he was angry at the same time. I can't remember the last time he looked like that- using his happy face to cover his true feelings- he's really expressive."

"Just now?" Donnie asked, a bit worried. "I don't remember how he let out his stress the last time he was this upset. He didn't have Ice Cream Kitty around- it was just us and Master Splinter."

"Yeah," Leo said slowly, starting to get up. "We should go check on him."

"Okay, yeah," Donnie agreed, letting Leo scoop his arm around Donnie's neck for support.

Leonardo and Donatello opened the door and flinched from the bright lights on the ceiling. Every time someone cleaned those lights, they just got brighter and brighter. Rising his long limb up, Donnie adjusted his arm to where he could block out the lighting for himself and his big brother. Raphael sludged out of the bathroom and went to the other side of Leo, helping Donnie out. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they departed. Raph gave Leo a pat on his shell and headed out the front door, Donnie gave Leo a look as to tell him that he was going to check the living room, and Leo nodded in understanding, heading into the kitchen.

After searching the house, Donnie and Leo saw no trace of Mikey anywhere. They decided to go check where the chickens were to see if he was feeding them or just messing around with Dr. Cluckingsworth (M.D.). As they looked around, they again didn't see him around.

"What if he's in your lab, Don?" Leo suggested, turning towards the farm shack. "He goes to your workplaces when you're not around sometimes."

"Well, better safe than sorry," Donnie replied, heading for his lab. With Leo right behind him, he found Mikey, but Mikey wasn't alone.

"Shh, shh, Leo, wait," Donnie whispered, stopping Leo dead in his tracks.

"What?" Leo asked, interested as to what made Donnie possibly stop. He peeked around the corner along with Donnie and saw that Mikey and Raph were talking in the lab. Leo and Donnie gave each other a glance, and Leo nodded. They used stealth and entered the farm shack, lurking in the shadows to listen to what Raph and Mikey were talking about.

"...and I dunno, Raph, I just- I'm so bummed," Mikey whined, his fists clenched tightly.

"I know, little brother," Raph sighed, sliding his hand down his face to wake himself up. "Casey shouldn't get off that easy, but whatever. It's Leo's call, man. I'm just- I'm so pissed off that Casey did something like that to win a stupid, petty, pointless argument. That is such bullshit."

"I've been using this thing I used to do when you guys ticked me off real bad- I just put on my regular happy face but somehow I always show that I'm mad. Like one of my cute squishy cheeks will compromise with the disguise and the other doesn't, and it throws it all off."

"Yeah, I noticed," Raph said, looking up at his innocent little brother. "I don't know what to honestly do to shake this off, bro."

"Bro, me either," Mikey sighed sadly, irritated. "I don't remember how I shook something like this off last time."

"Well, we should head out or somethin'. Go get fresh farm air so we can try to cool off. It is a bit cooler today, dontcha think?" Raph asked, standing up from Donnie's lab chair. Mikey shot up from the floor and walked out with Raph. Leo and Donnie watched their brothers strolling outside together. They emerged from the shadows and gave each other a worried look.

Later on, everyone was outside. April, Donnie and Mikey were all stretching, Casey was hiding in the shack, finding things to work on or tinker with, and Leo and Raph were sitting down, just chilling out. It was getting a bit dark since everyone woke up in the afternoon, so Leo decided to head inside the farmhouse.

"Hey, Raph, I'm gonna go inside," Leo said, his voice a bit deeper than usual.

"Okay. Are you all right, bro?" Raph asked, trying not to let the worry rise from inside him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, I just gotta sit by the fire or somethin'," Leo huffed, striding toward the farmhouse.

"See ya soon," Raph called out to Leo, giving a little wave.

Leo contorted a small smile and closed the front door, sighing and sliding down to the ground against the white wooden door. His knee kind of gave out as he slid, so he instantly fell down instead of sliding down, groaning and grabbing his knee.

"Ow! Oh, crap," Leo hissed out loudly since no one was inside, letting out little pained cries.

Leo managed to get up and made his way to the fireplace, sitting in the chair he had moved from its original spot to in front of the fire for warmth. He stared into the flames, watching some dance, some flicker, some spark out, and some jump off of the wooden log Raph had chopped fresh earlier the afternoon. He usually went to the fire when he was upset, needed to think or clear his mind, so it became a habit of him to walk out of conversation and just sit in front of the fire until he felt just a tad bit less upset.

Donatello strode in with April, cutting her off from almost speaking as he caught sight of Leo. She looked at Donnie and then in his direction, getting why she was cut off. Donnie turned the doorknob to where it wouldn't make a clicking sound as he closed the door shut and just stood there, watching Leo. April placed her hand on Donnie's shoulder as a sign of support and comfort, then went into the kitchen. Donnie sighed quietly and strode in the living room, sitting on the floor beside Leo's chair.

"Hope you don't mind," Donnie said, looking into the fire.

"Nope," Leo replied, bending toward the warmth of the fire. "It's fine."

Soon, Michelangelo and Raphael joined the two brothers, sitting and gaining warmth from the fire. Mikey pulled out a stick, which caught his brothers' attention. Mikey then pulled out a marshmallow, stuck it on the end of the stick, and placed in inside the fire, roasting it. After it roasted, he grabbed two graham crackers from a box that seemed like it appeared out of nowhere, tore off a piece of chocolate, slid the marshmallow on top of it, and smudged it under the graham crackers. He took a bite and stopped, looking at the eyes of his older brothers. He hesitated.

"Oh, uhm, sorry, I'll stop," Mikey whispered, slowly starting to set his s'more down.

"Can the chef cook me up one?" Leo asked, giving Mikey a warm smile. Mikey smiled and sighed happily, nodding.

"O-of course, bro," Mikey chirped, pulling out more ingredients.

"Heat me up one," Raph said, allured by the sweet scent.

"I'm up for a s'more," Donnie joined, shrugging his shoulders. "You're a great cook, Mikey."

Pleased by the requests, Mikey quickly pulled out some more marshmallows and stabbed the stick through them, roasting them in the fire. He placed graham crackers in his brothers' hands and a piece of chocolate, pulling out the brown and golden marshmallows. He slid one off for each turtle and himself. They all formed their s'mores and slowly bit into them, enjoying the sweet, gooey warm goodness that is a s'more.

"Man, I would've burned my marshmallow so bad," Leo laughed, taking another bite into his s'more.

"I hear that," Raph agreed, handing Mikey another marshmallow.

"Mm, I don't care if I go into a sugar shock by these babies," Donnie cooed, sulking in the deliciousness of the s'more.

"Don, I'm not gonna let that happen," Mikey said sternly. "You're getting 4 at the most."

"Party pooper," Donnie whimpered, urging Mikey to make another batch.

So the turtles kept consuming the little treats until they couldn't handle the sugar anymore. Leo had actually fallen asleep as he was eating one. He was still exhausted the whole entire day. Raph pushed Leo's chair back a bit to prevent Leo possibly getting a spark of a flame flying on him, standing up and strolling out. Mikey jumped out and poked Donnie's head, rushing out before Donnie could pinch his finger. Donnie groaned and got up, going up the stairs and collapsing onto his bed, instantly falling asleep.

Raph and Mikey went in the kitchen, where they met April.

"What were you guys laughing about in there? For turtles, you're pretty loud," April laughed, grabbing them some water.

"We were making s'mores," Mikey chirped, holding one out. "Donnie said we should save you one."

"Awh, thanks, _Chef Michelangelo_ ," April taunted, grabbing the s'more from him and eating it. "Mm, that is _soooo_ good."

"Don't we know it," Raph groaned, holding his stomach. "I shoulda slowed down."

"Here, big toughie," April cooed, handing Raph a glass of water, giving him a smug look.

"Whatever," Raph huffed, drinking his water. "What were you doin' in here, anyways?"

"Yeah, why didn't ya just come join us?" Mikey asked.

"Oh, I dunno. I got bored and cleaned the kitchen."

"Wait-whoa. You got bored so you decided to clean _for fun_?" Raph questioned as if it was a big mystery.

"If I'm bored enough, yeah," April laughed, washing her hands. "We are really messy."

"Or the house is just really old," Mikey suggested, shrugging with an innocent smile. "Not that I don't like it."

"Hardee har har," April laughed sarcastically. "My hands smell like window cleaner and cleaning wipes, eugh. I'm gonna head up and go to sleep; we're sparring soon enough, Raph," April announced as she made her way up the stairs. "Night, guys!"

"Night, April," Mikey and Raph said in unison.

"Okay," Raph lowered his voice, looking around to make sure no one was listening to him. "Now."

"Okey dokey," Mikey whispered, leaping into the main room, turning off the lights.

Mikey and Raph used stealth and searched the house for Casey Jones. Triple checking every inch of the house, he was no where in sight. They climbed on the top of the roof and bent down, searching for movement or sound anywhere. They heard a clatter in the shack, nodded at each other, and jumped down to the ground, slowly walking around the shack. Mikey peeped inside and got a good view on Casey, nodding at Raph. Raph jumped inside the shack, making no sound. Mikey closed and locked the doors of the farm shack, leaving Casey with no way out.

Casey Jones became startled at the sound of the slammed, booming doors of the shack, taking a step back. He looked around the shack, searching for who or what was trying to scare him.

"Come on out, you coward! I ain't afraid of ya," Casey yelled, reaching for his hockey stick.

As he reached out for it, it was broken in half, then disappeared, wood chips being traced behind. The lights went out, and that's when Raph came in. He grabbed a rope, a wooden chair, and forced Casey to sit on it. He tied Casey up tightly, making sure he was uncomfortable, and the lights were hit back on. Casey was struggling to somehow get free, which only increased the pressure of the rope on his skin. It was pressing down on him and he was getting rope burn. He hissed, groaned, yelped, and shook, but nothing was comforting his pain.

"C'mon, you douche! Show yourself all ready!" Casey demanded, screaming.

"Sure, Jones," Raph replied after a matter of minutes, stepping out from the shadows.

"Oh, phew," Casey sighed, relieved. "I thought I was a goner. Ya sure got me, dude."

"Who says I ain't less of a threat?" Raph cackled, his face fully in Casey's. "Seems like you distracted yourself so much you forgot why you started to in the first place."

"What are you talkin' abo- oh. Oh. _Oh_ ," Casey whimpered, the memory sinking in. "Raph, listen, I'm really sorry- Leo said it was cool!"

"Yeah, but even though he said it was okay, he's not okay. You obviously know that, but you're usin' that as an alibi, and I ain't buyin' it."

"R-Raph, ease up, bud," Casey begged hesitantly, backing into the chair as much as he could to get away from Raph.

"You hurt my brother real bad, Jones," Raph said, his voice slowly raising. "And you're not gonna get off that easy."

"Wh-what are ya gonna do, meathead?" Casey yelled, gathering as much confidence as he could.

"This," Raph slid his sais out from his belt, gave them a whirl, and pointed them directly in Casey's face. "I've been waitin' all day for this."

"No!" Casey yelled, shaking and struggling to break free of the hard fibers. All of a sudden, he felt the fibers fall beneath him and the pressure was released. He opened his eyes and looked at the ground, seeing the rope had been cut. He sighed out heavily, looking around him. Raph was nowhere in sight.

All of a sudden, he felt an intense surge of pain coming from his back, for Raph had kicked him with all his might. Casey was sent flying across the shack, hitting the wall hard as he collided with it and fell on the cold, hard floor. He groaned, curling himself up tightly to try to block out the waves of shooting pain and agony. He heard steps approaching him and didn't dare look up. Raph's hand grabbed the collar of Casey's shirt and with no hassle, Raph pulled Casey up off his feet and pushed him against the wall, glaring a glare more vicious than any of Raph's previous glares. Casey was shaking and waiting for the punches and cuts to land on him, but was dropped down, then a hand wrapped around his neck, slowly closing around it.

"I'd love to see you beaten down, but I ain't the guy to do it. You're pathetic Jones, and if we ever pass this somehow, I hope you regret hurting my brother big time and oughta think twice before you say stupid shit just to protect your crappy street code and your petty and weak ego. Don't fuck around with any of my brothers like that ever again, Jones, 'cause I might not be able to control what I do."


	8. Leo's Stand

Casey gasped for air as Raph stormed out of the farm shack, his body feeling like an anchor. Casey did nothing but gasp for air and think over what the hell just happened. His best friend legit about ended his life just so he would get the message to never use someone's weakness or something they're touchy about against them to win a battle. He clenched onto his shirt tightly as if he was clutching his heart to control his heart rate, starting to calm down a bit. Casey knew he hurt Leo's feelings, but he didn't think he hurt Leo that bad. Leo was a badass leader and would do anything and would take anything just to protect his brothers. Every single turtle would throw themselves on the line of death just for the safety of the others. If insulting one of them just about killed him, imagine what actually hurting them just to prove a point would do.

Casey got up and walked out of the farm shack, seeing a turtle sitting on the swinging bench that hung on the tree branch outside. Hesitant to approach fearing that it was Raphael, Casey walked toward anyways, his guard completely down. He saw a strap diagonal on the shell from afar, so it was either Leonardo or Donatello. He was hoping that it was Donnie. Unfortunately, it was Leo. He cleared his throat, but Leo didn't budge.

"Uh, Leo?" Casey questioned, standing behind him. "Leo."

"Just leave me alone, Casey," Leo warned, his voice raised.

"Leo, I need to-"

"I said leave me alone!" Leo yelled, standing up and attempting to turn, but his knee gave out. He went down, grabbing his knee and yelling in pain. "Holy shit!"

"Leo!" Casey gasped, surprised to hear the mature turtle cuss.

"Casey, if ya wanna do anything for me right now, just go!" Leo yelled louder than the previous demand, then he panted. "Just go."

"Why are you out here?" Casey asked.

"Find out tomorrow. Go catch some z's or something. I need to be alone."

"Leo, c'mon, let's talk," Casey said calmly.

"Get lost, Casey," a voice warned. A shadow emerged from behind the tree, revealing Michelangelo. "Go."

"Mikey?" Casey questioned. Once he got a full view, he felt like there was no threat. "Let me just talk to yer big bro."

"No way," Mikey growled, for the first time glaring at Casey. "Get lost."

"Mikey," Leo urged. "Don't."

"Yeah, listen to your bro-"

"Can it, Jones," Donatello demanded, jumping straight in front of Casey. Casey stumbled back, surprised.

"Guys, c'mon, I just wanna talk to him."

"I thought you had enough for one night, Casey. Are you askin' for an encore?" Raph chuckled behind him.

"Oh, c'mon!" Casey yelled, about ready to submit into surrender.

He was sent down instantly. Surges of pain rose from his chest, his head, his back- every inch was in agony. Courtesy of the genius of the team, Donnie gritted his teeth and pointed his staff in Casey's face, the built in blade touching Casey's nose. Raph closed in on the left, Mikey on the right. Raph twirled his sais, the alluring, metallic sound sending shivers down Casey's spine. Mikey's nunchucks were spinning around, the threatening sound making Casey want to sink into the Earth and never emerge. They all closed in slowly. Casey looked at the damage and toll he had made.

"Stop!" Leo yelled, grabbing his younger brothers' attention. Stabbing the soil of the Earth with one of his katanas, Leo urged himself to get up no matter how much it hurt. He winced a lot but stood up and strode over to Casey. His brothers backed up a bit, giving Leo some room.

Casey felt threatened; he felt like Leo was about to let him have it, and he honestly didn't look forward to it happening. Leo was about to offer his hand to help Casey up when suddenly, Casey grabbed ahold on Leo's bum knee and bent it sharply and too quick. Leo screamed and fell down on his knees, then fell flat on his torso. Casey jumped up and gave himself some distance, instantly realizing his mistake. Not only did he worsen the situation, but he was about to go up against Splinter's disciple.

Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo all went to Leonardo and became worried sick. Leo hissed and groaned, closing his eyes too tight. Raph had enough. He rose up and was ready to charge at Casey when he was pulled down. Leo once again struggled but stood up and faced Casey Jones.

"Honestly, Casey, I just needed time alone tonight. I needed time to myself. I needed this time alone and I fucking warned you. You think just because I have a weakness that you can hold against me, I'm instantly going to give up? That's fucking ridiculous. I was so close to just letting all of this go 'cause this alone time was for me to gather my thoughts, but of course, you just keep angering me. Well I'm done. You think you can win? Why don't you actually wait 'til I'm ready instead of using little times like that to feel like you're the king of the world. Now I'm ready. You asked for this, I hope you know that." Leo picked up the katana from the ground and slid out the other one from his belt, ready to fight.

"Leo, I regret it! I'm sorry, I don't know what I'm doin', honest!" Casey urged, trying to find a way out.

"I'm done with your fake apologies."

Seeing that he got himself stuck in a situation he's feared, he had no choice but to gather up what courage and strength he had left and put up his fists, ready to fight. Sorta. He felt like all the air around him just suddenly went dark despite the fact that it was night time. He looked at Leo, who, despite being flown with constant words of hurt from him all day, was standing humble and strong, ready to fight even with an injury. He wouldn't let it hold him back.

Leo eyed his opponent, the one who was doing nothing but trying to protect his stupid ego. Leo clenched his fists, grabbing his crutch and throwing it far into the woods.

"Leo, what are you doin', bro?" Raph questioned, a bit worried. "You're gonna need that!"

"I don't care."

Leo dug his toes into the dirt and charged at Casey. He was probably going to regret it, but he leaped into the air, shot out his bum leg, and kicked Casey, sending him sliding a long way back in the dirt. He ran over to Casey and kept kicking and kicking with only his bad leg. Leo kneed Casey's stomach, his groin, his chin- he was attacking with nothing but what Casey had been mocking. To finish it off, he lifted Casey up by the collar of his shirt, looked up at him, gave him a playful smile, and kicked him one last time, launching him far and hearing the farm shack shake as Casey slammed into the side of it. Leo was in a lot of pain, yes, but he showed Casey that even though he had a disability, he was still the fucking badass blue masked leader and he wouldn't let Casey get to him.

Leo walked over to Casey, who was groaning and curled up in a ball. Leo stood over him and offered Casey his hand. Casey looked up at him hesitantly, then met Leo's gaze. There wasn't any anger left in Leo's blue eyes, only kindness complimented with a tender smile. Casey sighed, a bit relieved and grabbed Leo's wrist. Leo pulled Casey up and smacked him on the back as a friendly gesture. Casey looked down. He knew Leo had used his bad leg and obliterated him like it was the easiest thing in the world. He rubbed the back of his neck, slowly looking back up at Leo.

"Leo, listen, bro. I'm really sorry. I totally deserved that-"

"You should wash up, Casey. Don't want to look crappy later on when you wake up. Well, crappier than usual," Leo chuckled, giving Casey a smile. "You scared of me?"

"Without a doubt," Casey admitted, shivering at the thought of crossing Leo ever again. "I shouldn't have done something like that in the first place."

"Yeah, no kiddin'," Donnie interrupted, coming out from behind the shack. "I wish I could see that on instant replay."

"Totally, dude!" Mikey cut in with a chirp. "Casey, you shoulda seen how epic Leo pummeling you down in the ground was! It was legendary!"

"I bet. I got the message. Raph sent a very strong one earlier," Casey laughed, trying to suppress the horrid memory. He knew he'd never forget any of this.

"Wha?" Leo asked, puzzled, then realizing what Casey meant. "Oh. I see."

"Leo, I know you're badass and all that shit, but don't be stupid and throw your crutch out like that," Raph said sternly, handing Leo his crutch.

"You gave Casey a lesson of your own, Raphael?" Leo asked, crossing his arms and giving Raph a look.

"Shell yeah!" Raph beamed at the memory. "You can't chew me out for this; he had it comin' and I couldn't just let him win and let ya mope 'round, bro."

"Well, I guess he got the message," Leo said, giving Casey a smug look. "Special deliveries. I forgot how good it felt."

"We'll serve plenty when we go to New York," Raph grinned at the thought. "Promise."

"We should hit the hay," Mikey yawned, poking Casey on the forehead. Casey shoved him off playfully.

"I'ma drink a glass of milk,"Donnie smiled at the surpassing thought of the milk awaiting him in the fridge. "Night, guys. Night, cave mouth."

"Let's go crash on the couch," Raph said, dragging Leo along with him. "We oughta get ready to actually do somethin' productive later on today."

"All right, all right! Shell, man. Night, Jones," Leo called, waving as Raph pulled him inside the house.

Casey and Mikey walked beside each other, heading toward the farm house. Casey stopped and shoved his hands in the pocket of his hoodie with torn off sleeves, catching Mikey's attention. Mikey jogged back to Casey, concerned.

"Hey, are you okay, Casey?" Mikey asked.

"I'm sorry I almost tried to kill ya. It was way out of line and you were just doin' what April wanted, I shoulda known that. Ya know me."

"Awh," Mikey cooed, hugging Casey. "It's chill, dude. I'ma help you get all this dirt outta your hair and face."

"Cool, bro," Casey chirped, continuing their path inside the farm house. "Dude, even though I'm super sore and hurting all over, it was so awesome how Leo destroyed me in a matter of seconds."

"I know!" Mikey exclaimed, climbing up the stairs with Casey. "You noticed I was mad, huh?"

"Your cheek gave you out."

"Awh, darn it!"

"Shush!" Raph hissed from Donnie's room. After helping Casey, Mikey peeked inside and saw that Leo had made a place for himself on the floor next to Donnie's bed. There was a pile of pillows and a warm blanket on the wooden chair, which Raph claimed as his resting spot for the night. Mikey ran down the stairs, grabbed the softest pillow he could find and a good blanket and raced back up and into Donnie's room, making a place for himself by the window next to Raph. Raph chuckled tiredly at his little brother and snuggled into his pillows, closing his eyes.

"Night, dudes," Mikey whispered sweetly.

"Night, dorks," Casey called from the hall, closing the door for them as he passed the room.

"Mm, ni-night," Leo mumbled, curling himself into a ball.

"Night," Donnie yawned, pulling his blanket over his face.

"Don't do that, genius," Raph urged to Donnie. Donnie groaned and made a breathing hole for himself, then fell asleep. "Night, little brother."

"Raph, can I use your feet as a pillow, please?" Mikey begged, giving Raph the puppy eyes.

"Sure, whatever," Raph sighed into submission, wanting to sleep. Mikey placed his pillow on Raph's feet and curled his body around Raph's chair, falling sound asleep.

April woke up bright and early. It was about 5 'til 10 in the morning, and she heard no other sounds in the rooms. She peeked in Donnie's room and smiled at the sight of her big, tough mutant turtle friends sleeping in the same room together and shut the door quietly. She went downstairs and found Casey crashed on the couch, his limbs all over the place. She noticed a smudge of dirt on his nose and wiped it off, got an ice pack and put it on his forehead, and strode outside, starting her stretches and exercises.

"Today, I spar with Raphael."


	9. April and Leo

After what seemed like forever, April saw a turtle emerge from the inside of the farm house. She couldn't make out who it was exactly since she was so far from the house. She continued her warm ups, practicing her kicks and her leaps. She pulled a leg muscle, making her stumble back a bit. She arched her back, letting out a pleased sigh as it popped multiple times. She turned around and saw that Leo was the one who awoke. He was pacing back and forth in front of the house and seemed to be deep in thought. Concerned, she walked over to him.

Leonardo's thoughts were replaying what he did to Casey during the night. He felt regret but a surge of activeness, and was instantly hit back with guilt. He didn't know how to exactly feel. He wondered, _What if Casey will never forgive me? Am I horrible for doing this?_ but it was fought with the thought of _The punk deserved it! Don't feel bad!_ He kept pacing, deciding to have a brief discussion with Casey whenever he could later on in the day, just the two of them. As mad as he was, he didn't want to lose his friend. It would hurt just as much as the time April shunned the turtles for the mutagen spreading all over the city and mutating her father, Kirby. He really didn't want to lose someone again. He wasn't sure if it was certain or not, but he lost Splinter, and he lost Karai after all they went through. He didn't know if he could handle another loss.

April lightly tapped Leo on the shoulder, making him jump. He quickly turned and immediately transitioned into a battle stance, but relaxed and bent down when his eyes fell on April. He sighed and closed his eyes, placing his hands on April's shoulders. She froze, looking down at the blue masked turtle, who was bent down. She placed her hands on top of his to show support.

"I know this is weird," Leo spoke, breaking the silence. "But I'm so glad it's you."

"Me too. I'd feel bad if it was a bad guy or a mutant or something. You would have wiped them away in a second," she chuckled. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Leo said quickly, sighing. "Well, I don't know."

"What's on your mind?"

"Well," Leo started, standing straight up and letting his hands fall from April's shoulders to his side. "I- I don't know if I want to tell you. You might hit me with a magazine."

"You turd," April laughed at the memory, elbowing him. "If you feel like you can't, I'm here for you."

"I really want to, but I don't want you to get, well, uhm, pissed off."

April didn't usually hear any of the turtles curse- Leo especially. She widened her eyes, realizing that it must be pretty serious. She grabbed Leo's arm and made him walk with her over in the woods where they could talk. She found a log, pointing to it. Leo looked at her, the log, then trudged his feet and sat down. She sat down in front of him, her hands on her knees, waiting for him to spill whatever was bothering him. Leo looked around the woods, trying to form his sentences. His eyes fell on April's accidentally, trapping him. Their eyes were locked. She was staring right into him. Her eyes were telling him, _I don't care if we sit in silence or if you tell me. I will do my best to help you out._ Leo's eyes softened as he knew right then he could tell her. He relaxed and sighed deeply, getting ready to tell her. _Okay, you can do this._

"Okay," Leo started, his gaze still stuck on hers. "So, you know how everything with Casey happened?"

"Mhm," April hummed, leaning forward, interested.

"So, I went outside during the night, and-"

"Why did you go outside? It was a bit too cold for you to go out there, Leo," April interrupted.

"Hehe," Leo chuckled, a little smile appearing. "Well, sometimes, I'll go outside by myself and just keep pushing myself to train and to keep on going despite my stupid leg. I dunno. I've been doing it here and there, and last night I really needed it 'cause I was just really conflicted over the whole Casey thing. Anyways, I know I said I forgave him, but the anger was eating me up- I just wanted to show him that despite that I had a weakness, I could still whip his butt anytime with no hesitation, but I just couldn't.

"Well, he spooked me when he asked if we could talk, and I was just so tired and angry and irritated, I told him no. He kept insisting and insisting every time I rejected 'cause I just really needed to be alone, yanno? I didn't even know the guys were out there watching me until Mikey stepped out from behind a tree, threatening Casey to back off. Then it was Donnie, then it was Raph. They all bopped him real good and were about to pummel him down into the ground, but I told them to stop. I struggled to get up, but did anyways, and walked over to Casey. I was about to offer my hand to help him up, but I guess he thought I was about to beat him up while he was vulnerable, so he grabbed my knee and knocked me down, hopping up and just standing there, panting.

"The guys- oh man- the guys got really pissed. They were about to circle him but I stopped them again. I got up and grabbed my katanas and just told Casey that I had enough and that it was time to go down. I gotta admit, he's got guts. Even though Raph spooked him before and the guys whopped him, he put up his fists. I just- I went for it. I only used my bum leg to defeat him and after that, I felt better. My leg was in a lot of pain but I just felt cleansed, I guess. I went over to where he landed and I helped him up, and he said he got the message and that he'd tried to never cross me or the guys that bad ever again. We all just kinda went inside and knocked out after that, but now I'm just feeling so guilty, like I shouldn't have done it at all. I don't know what to do, April. I've already lost my father, Karai, and we even lost you once. We're lucky you came back- things weren't the same without you around. I don't know if I can lose someone else."

April just sat in silence. She let it all sink in- while she was asleep, all of this happened. She didn't know what she was feeling, exactly. She looked down, around the woods, then back at Leo, who had his head tilted down to where she couldn't look at his face, just the top of his head. She looked at the way the sunlight beamed down on his green skin and the nature that surrounded him. Leo was the wisest and most mature out of his brothers- ever since he woke up, she knew he had to mature more than ever and do the best he could to be there for his brothers. They witnessed their father being thrown down into a whirlpool of sewer water by the Shredder and she constantly remembered it. He had to let go of his past and just step up for his brothers. She thought, _This was possibly the only slip up Leo's had these past few months here. He's being too hard on himself._

But she knew why he was; he had to act better than that, he had to follow the path of wisdom and resist his bad urges, he had to step up and be mature about the situation. He failed, and he felt good that he failed. A leader shouldn't feel that great after failing ever. Leo's been handed a heavy burden, a very big responsibility and a constant obstacle by the universe. He didn't deserve all of this- none of the turtles did. She didn't. Casey didn't. She thought over the situation, sighed, and looked at Leo's head.

"Leo, I know you feel bad. But it's only because you've been handed this nerve-wrecking position in life. The minute you woke up, you had to step up more than ever for your brothers. You had to mature and leave your past ways behind. You immediately had to just mold yourself to keep the team going, and you're battling against your own body. You only feel bad because you're telling yourself, ' _Hey, I shouldn't have done that. I should have been more wise and mature, not let my negative urges get the best of me.'_ But Leo, let me tell you, we all have our slip ups, and this is probably your first major one in months. You're a great leader and despite your leg, you never cease to amaze me. You just keep trying and trying, you keep your brothers together and keep them training, you help lift their spirits despite being in possibly the worst of yours- you're a great guy. Don't be so hard on yourself- you've been handed a handful since the moment you woke up. I know you're insecure about your leg 'cause you feel like you'll never get better and that you'll never be the same again, but you haven't changed from how you were. You still love comics, you still love cartoons, you still goof around and try to be there for everyone, and you're still the great turtle I met. You may have to act more mature and wise, but don't let that eat you up when you make a mistake. Just do what you think you should do, Leo."

Leonardo tilted his head up and looked at April O'Neil: the girl's life he and his brothers forever changed. She had a normal life and didn't have to worry about anything until the Kraang captured her and Kirby. Just a regular teenager whose life changed in just an instant. She didn't have a worry in the world and then she was handed a plate full of them. Here she is now, lecturing him, a teenage turtle who has been under the training of a great martial artist for his entire life and has been taught many lessons of wisdom, life, martial arts and so many more things, completely calm about it all. She was lifting his spirits despite everything she's been through. Her friend Irma turned out to be Kraang Prime, she lost her father _twice_ , she had so many things to worry about, and here she was, trying to help him out. He zoned out in his thoughts and was brought back when April laid her eyes on Leo's, a small, warm smile on her face. She stood up and sat next to him, gazing in his eyes.

April just stared into one of her best friends' eyes, basking in the warm sunlight. Leo gazed back, examining her features. Her bangs were a bit longer than they were when they first met and were slightly hanging in front of her eyes, her freckles on her cheek were like stars of a constellation, complimented by her beautiful smile. Her blue eyes were something someone would love to stare into all day long and get lost in. Leo's blank expression turned into a little side smile with his blue eyes lifted with his smile. He raised one of his hands and brushed her bangs to the side, giving a light chuckle. He didn't know what he'd do without her. They weren't as close as April was with Donnie, but he was glad she was in his life. Her eyes squinted a little bit as she laughed softly when Leo brushed her bangs out of her eyes, going back into a smile.

"April, thank you so much for listening to my petty problems. I don't know how you still stand so strong and bold despite everything you've been through- what we've put you through. I know you were most likely living a wonderful life before we showed up- you looked so happy just strolling home with Kirby that night. Knowing that you're a human-alien hybrid, losing your father twice, losing Irma, those times you had to fight when you felt like you couldn't handle it, having to deal with Karai, The Foot, the Kraang and so many mutants- you're just- you're the strongest person I've met. I know me bringing these things up will probably make you feel a little bummed, but you're just wonderful, and I thought you should know. Y-you inspire me, April O'Neil. Thank you so much."

April's smile grew. She scooted closer to the oldest terrapin and placed her hand on top of his and gave it a light squeeze, resting her head on his shoulder. She was glad she could call the turtles her family. She felt her connection with Leo getting stronger than ever before, even more than the time he told her he liked Karai. She laughed a little bit as she remembered slapping Leo with a rolled up magazine. Leo felt April move, and he thought she was a bit uncomfortable, so he slumped his shoulders a bit low so she could rest her head more comfortably. April nuzzled her head into Leo's neck, thankful he lowered his shoulders. Her neck was about to give out on her and she really didn't want to ruin this amazing moment with Leo. Leo felt safe, warm- free, even- just being out in the woods with April. She was family to him. He closed his eyes and breathed out deeply, savoring the moment for as long as it would last. He didn't care if it was short or long. He was glad to just be out in the woods with April. He really liked hanging out and talking to her. He hoped that one day, she could come to him when she was in a tough situation. He would always be there for her no matter what. The sunlight just made it all better.

Seems like they really got into the moment, 'cause they fell asleep! It wasn't a very long slumber, just an hour or so. Leo's eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the light. He looked around and remembered where he was. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand and smacked his lips, letting out a little yawn. He was about to ask April if she was awake when he heard her slow and steady breathing. She was still sleeping. Leo's mouth formed into a wide smile, thinking to himself, _Wow. I'm so glad to have April in my life. I've never felt so close to her, I'm glad I talked to her._ He slowly turned his body, making April stir a little bit. He slid his arm under her knees and the other around her back, scooping her into his lap. With all his strength, he slowly stood up, carrying April back to the house. He stumbled a little bit, but other than that, it was no problem. He looked around and saw only the chickens out in the grass, suspecting that the guys were still asleep. It was still morning time, so he didn't want to wake them. He'd let them sleep in as long as they wanted to today. When he cleared out of the woods, he went over to the farm house. The front door was slightly ajar, so he pushed it open slowly with his foot. He went into the living room and set her down on the couch gently. He got a blanket and covered her with it since it was a little chilly inside the house. Leo went into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, getting some ice cubes from Ice Cream Kitty and strolled back in the living room, setting it down on the table in front of the couch. It was really warm where they napped at- he was a bit parched!- which is why he grabbed her some water; just in case she woke up thirsty. As he was about to head back outside to take some time to himself, he smiled down at her, gave her hand a light squeeze as she did with his earlier, and whispered, "See you in a few, sis."


	10. Sparring with Raph

_She dreamed of the woods; the trees, the bushes, the animals that scurried by. The sun beaming on her, the leaves dancing around her, and the wind was gently blowing. She felt the palm of her hand getting warm, seeing what was possibly making it so. She saw a turtle hand, but it was a different shade. The skin was a bit darker than usual. She tilted her head up and saw blue ends instead of purple ones. Leonardo turned his head down slowly and gave her a warm smile. He whispered, "See you in a few, sis."_

April jolted awake, sitting up and examining her surroundings. It was nothing like her dream. She was in the living room of the farm house. It was a bit chilly, but she was warm. She didn't know if her dream was something that actually happened or if it just felt real enough to seem like it. Either way, she was glad she dreamed it. She heard noises outside, so she climbed out from the couch and trudged her way out the door. She saw Leonardo, who was doing leg exercises. He had his katanas out and was swinging them around as he made several battle stances as he lunged. He was struggling but he kept going, getting a bit better each time. She yawned a little and climbed down the stairs, making her way over to him.

Leonardo's eyes fell on April, who was walking towards him. She waved a little and gave him a tired smile. He giggled and waved back, continuing his lunges. She reached him, looking around. She was trying to decide if it was just a dream or if it really happened. She scrunched her face into a conflicted look, getting Leo's attention.

"What's up?" Leo asked, stopping mid-lunge.

"Wha? Oh, I'm just trying to figure something out," she said, a bit dazed.

"What are you trying to figure out?"

"I don't know if it was a dream or if it really happened- I dreamed that we were in the woods and we were just sitting there in silence. Did that really happen or did I just dream it?"

"Oh! Well, Ms. O'Neil, if you really can't recall, it really happened. I ranted to you and you helped me out and we just started talking and then we sat in silence, but," Leo laughed a bit at the memory that formed just a while ago. "Well, we fell asleep."

"Really?" April asked, surprised. "Oh my gosh!"

"Yeah," Leo laughed, standing up straight. "You were still asleep so I carried you to the couch."

"Thanks, Leo," April smiled, yawning. "It was a really great nap."

"I know. I've never felt so relaxed before. Thanks for being there for me. I hope that I can be there for you some day."

"Awh, Leo," April cooed, hugging him. He hugged her back and pulled away, letting his little smile transpire to a full smile.

"The guys are just getting up," Leo announced, seeing his brothers and Casey moving around Donnie's room from the window. "Bet they slept well."

"Finally, I can spar with Raph!" April exclaimed, bouncing a bit in excitement.

Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo and Casey all made their way downstairs. Raph saw that the door was open and stepped out, seeing his big brother and April having a laugh. Donnie peeked out from behind Raph and nudged Raph aside, going over to April and Leo. Mikey was playing around with Ice Cream Kitty and was sharing a laugh with Casey. After a while, Mikey went and joined Donnie outside. Raph looked at Casey, who was trying to scrounge some food from the fridge. Raph walked over to him and waited for him to get up.

"Hey, Casey," Raph said, his voice a bit raspy. "You okay?"

"Yeah, dude," Casey chuckled. "It's totally okay. I deserved it, dude."

"Listen," Raph started, trying to find the words. "I'm sorry. I know I got carried away, but I just get so eaten up if someone messes with my brothers."

"Raph, I get it. He's your family. That's how I was with my sister. I don't even know if she and my dad are alive, if they're safe or if they got Kraang-atized. You guys, Splinter and April- you're my second family. I know how you're feelin', and I woulda acted the same way. Don't sweat it. I learned my lesson. I'm really sorry. Still best buds?" Casey asked, raising his hand and clenching it into a fist.

"Still best buds," Raph repeated, smiling as he fist-bumped Casey. They walked out together and pushed each other around playfully, approaching the rest of them.

"Hey, guys, what's up?" Casey greeted, fist bumping them. He looked at April and gave her a smile.

"You feeling okay, Casey?" Leo asked, the guilt coming back. "I'm really sorry. I feel like I went too far-"

"It's chill, dude. I would've done the same, Leo. I don't blame ya, and I deserved it. I hope we're cool; I don't wanna lose ya, bro."

"We're cool," Leo said happily, giving Casey a light punch on the arm. "All right then. So, April, go ahead."

"Raph," April said, walking toward him. "Are you up for sparring?"

"Uh," Raph started, darting his eyes around. He grabbed Leo's wrist and pulled him along with him, separating from the group.

"Whoa, Raph," Leo said, his legs tangling a bit from the sudden movement. They stopped at the front of the shack. "What is it?"

"Dude, I'm worried. What if I really hurt her? I don't know if I should do this."

"Raph, April asked for this. She wants to better herself so she can become a kunoichi. She knows the risks- otherwise, she wouldn't be doing this. I know you're worried- I am too- but she really wants to train to become better. We owe her that- she lost Kirby again and her Master. We should help her out."

Raphael sighed, looking down. His brain started to relive the memory of the invasion- Leo being thrown in from the window, escaping to the Party Wagon, Kirby being turned into a mutant again, witnessing his father being thrown into a whirlpool of doom by Shredder, Donnie's invention, barely escaping with their lives- it just hit him. He closed his eyes and looked up, nodding to Leo. He would spar with April.

Together they walked back to the others. Leo gave Raph a pat on the shell and flashed a supporting smile, grabbing his seat. Mikey sat down next to Leo, Donnie next to him, and Casey on the other side of Leo. April looked at Raph, waiting for an answer of some kind. Raph nodded, making April beam. She ran inside to grab her tessen. Raph left his sais in his belt, deciding to just start natural. April raced back outside, waving her hand over to her for Raph to follow. He walked over to her, giving them some distance to spar without the risk of hurting the guys.

They were about to spar, when there was a sudden noise. It was coming from the shack- it sounded like a bubbling and fizzing sound. Then there was a clink, the sound of something rolling, and the loud noise of a glass breaking. Donnie shot up, panicked.

"Oh no! I think the chickens are messing around with my lab! Mikey, I told you to keep them out!" Donnie shouted, running towards the shack. "Sorry, I gotta raincheck on watching you spar, April! Good luck," Donnie yelled, entering the shack. "Get out, chickens, before you ruin something!"

The guys and April all shared glances, then shrugged it off, focusing again on the sparring session. April and Raph positioned themselves, narrowing their eyes at each other.

 _'Okay, this is Raphael; the most strongest, hot-headed and tempered of the turtles. Just charge and do the best you can; as long as you learn something, it'll be worth it, O'Neil'_ , April thought to herself. She knew when it came to battling Raph, there was a big risk of getting hurt, but she didn't care. She needed to improve in any way possible. She huffed out a breath, preparing to charge. She ran as fast as she could, landing a kick on Raph's arm. He stumbled back a bit, caught by surprise she came at him so quickly. _'Oh my god- I-I got him!'_ April thought excitedly, living in the moment for too long, giving Raph a chance to strike back. He bent down and spun around, kicking her legs out from under her. She landed on her back, groaning. She quickly got up, her and Raph circling each other.

Her back didn't hurt as much as she thought it had, giving her a little confidence boost. She ran, leaped up, and struck her leg out, kicking Raph back. He charged at her, his fists striking out for her torso. She moved aside just as Mikey did, making Raph miss. He gritted his teeth a bit, reminding himself to calm down and to not get so heated so quick. He jumped up and landed on her feet, making her hiss as she felt her toes under extreme pressure. She pulled out her tessen, striking Raph on the cheek, leaving a cut. He hissed a bit, feeling his cheek sting and felt some blood ooze out. It wasn't much. Raph grabbed the handles of his sais, pulling them out and twirling them around. He curled his fingers in the gaps of the sais, ready to use his weapons.

The tessen and sais collided, but some slips occurred. Raph tore April's shirt collar and the white number 5 on her yellow shirt along with some cuts on her forehead and her chin. April managed to hit Raph's torso, cut his belt a bit, cut his lower lip and the top of his head. After April kneed him in the gut, Raph's anger sparked. He came at her full speed, striking multiple times very quickly. He kicked her legs, he elbowed her sharply in the ribs, and he managed to pull her down to the ground. She struggled, managing to slip out from under him and kick his arm hard. Raph shot up and charged again and again. She used Mikey's technique as he did this, making Raph irritated. He ran behind her and tripped her only to be kicked down from behind. They were both pretty beat already; already had cuts and there were many bruises and tender spots. April jumped on Raph's shell and pulled the tails of his red mask. Raph growled and reached behind him and grabbed her by the sides, pulling her off of him and threw her on the ground hard. She shrieked, raising her hand up as to tell him to stop.

His breathing was hard and heavy. He hovered over her and saw that he she was gritting her teeth, hissing in pain as she curled her bruised, cut and battered body up. Raph's eyes widened, and he backed away slowly. _'Oh my god, I-I went too far. What have I done? I knew I shouldn't have done this!_ His lip shook and tears of anger threatened to escape his eyes. He dropped his sais and ran off into the woods, the guilt starting to consume him. He just had to get out of there- he couldn't bare the realization that he hurt April. He kept running and running, panting and not looking back. He tripped over a rock and fell hard. He climbed onto his elbows and knees, breathing hard and punching the ground. He let out a loud scream and just sat there, shaking.

"Raphael, stop! Come back!" Leo yelled as his brother ran deep into the woods. "Raph!"

Leonardo's cries or urgency reached Raphael, despite being so deep in the woods. Raph clenched the sides of his head tightly, letting out hisses and groans. He didn't know what to do. All he knew is that he couldn't look at the damage he'd done. He hurt April.


	11. Aiding April

Leo had stumbled after Raph, but Raph ran too far ahead. Leo couldn't catch up. He stumbled and fell, panting. He looked up and faced the darkness of the woods, sighing. _'I've got to give Raph some time,'_ Leo thought to himself despite wanting to drop everything and go search for Raph no matter how long it would take. He slowly got up and walked back over to April, who was being helped inside the farm house by Mikey and Casey. Casey wasn't mad, he just wanted April to be okay. Leo followed behind them, walking with Casey inside the living room to set her down on the couch. Mikey rushed to the kitchen and grabbed her a glass of water and an ice pack, handing them to Leo and running upstairs to get Donnie's first aid kit.

April clutched onto her waist, letting out little pained cries. Her sides felt so tender, her body hurt all over, her cuts stung- she was battered. Leo laid her down and placed the ice pack on her right side, getting up to get another one but was pulled back down by April. She tightly grabbed his hand, looking up at him, her eyes telling him, _please stay by my side_. He nodded, bending back down beside her, letting her hold his hand. Casey went to go fetch some ice packs since Leo couldn't and met Mikey at the steps. They walked in together and bent in front of her, opening up the kit. Mikey pulled out the white bandage wrap and started wrapping her leg, where her tights were cut and there was a big cut. It wasn't very deep but it was oozing blood. Casey attended to her arms, placing bandages on her cuts and dabbing her with a wet cloth. She yelped with every dab of alcohol and peroxide that was applied to her cuts, gripping Leo's hand tighter every time. Leo held the ice packs to her side, then grabbed a wet cloth and gently wiped away the dried blood and dirt on her face. Her eyebrows furrowed into a pained angle, her eyes tightly shut. Leo's lip pouted out a bit, seeing his close friend in a very bad state. After Casey and Mikey attended every cut on her and dabbed her clean where they could, they gave April sad but supportive looks and walked out, leaving Leo and April alone.

Leo finally curled his hand around April, holding her hand. He slowly stood up and pulled a chair over to him, sitting down so his leg wouldn't give out on him. He needed to be there for April, but was also worrying about Raphael. But right then, his attention was devoted to April. Every time she tried to move, she groaned and let out a little cry. Leo couldn't stand it. He let go of her hand and, with much caution, scooped her up in his arms. She arched her back in pain as Leo placed her in a comfy position. He sat down on a side of the couch, getting two pillows and placing it on his lap, then laying April's head down on it. She kept moving her head around, a discomforted look on her face. Leo massaged her neck instantly. Leo used to do that when he was little and his neck was stiff from sparring, and Splinter massaged it and made it better. She shuddered a bit, pleased by the neck massage. It only helped her a little, but it eased her a lot. She let out a pleased sigh, making Leo chuckle a bit. She heard this and giggled a bit, her ribs hurting her as she did, so she went back to groaning. Leo brushed the bangs out of her eyes, trying to ease her.

"Leo," April whispered, her voice hoarse. "Th-thank you."

"For the neck massage?"

"Yeah, but not that. Thanks for setting up the sparring sessions. I know it must have been kinda hard to accept; I could tell you and Raph were worried that he'd hurt me. But I learned, and I used Mikey's techniques and bits of moves from Donnie in Raph's session, and it made me stand longer than I would have before in a fight."

"You're not upset?"

"No; this is what I wanted. Now I know moves and techniques to practice. I can use those leg swipe moves, the leaping, the backflips- I have a lot to learn and it will benefit me. I know it was a risky call, but thanks for letting me legit spar."

Leonardo spoke no words; he just nodded and looked away. He brushed his thumb over her cheek like Donnie sometimes did. He guessed it soothed her and he assumed right. Leo didn't even notice that April had let go of his leg when he re positioned her to make her more comfy until she laid her hand on top of his just like earlier and gave his hand a light squeeze. He looked down at his big hand and her little hand and gave her a light squeeze back, sliding his hand out from under her palm and placed her arm on her torso. She breathed out deeply, closing her eyes.

"Hey, Leo?"

"Mhm?"

"Did you happen to say 'see you in a few, sis' out in the woods this morning?"

"No, I whispered it when I was about to leave you alone to nap after I carried you back here."

"Hm," she hummed, smiling a bit. "Well, see you in a few, bro."

"Do you want me to get up?" Leo asked. "I could leave you alone to rest and heal up."

"Nuh uh," she said, shaking her head a bit. "None of us left your side, so you're not leaving mine. I don't care if you're uncomfy, you're gonna suck it up, Leo."

"Okay," Leo laughed, nuzzling his head into the couch. "Okay. Well I'll just watch Crognard."

"You nerd," April laughed, closing her eyes. "Night, Leo."

"Mm, night April," Leo yawned, his eyes starting to close. "No, I can't sleep; I gotta change all your bandages soon."

"Have fun with that," April teased, giving him a smug look before she fell into a deep slumber.


	12. Donnie Becomes Aware

Donatello had no idea of what happened out there; he had shut the doors after he shooed all the chickens out of the shack except for Dr. Cluckingsworth to prevent another incident. He looked around at all the spilled chemicals and broken lab equipment on the floor and his lab table, sliding his hand over his face, groaning. He got the supplies needed to clean up the chemicals, properly disposed of them, managed to salvage what he could, and swept up the broken equipment. After that, he spent his time working on retro-mutagen and tinkered around with some Kraang technology. He chugged down many cans of energy drinks and sodas to keep him awake; he was so oddly tired despite sleeping in. Well, the body did act funny based on the amount of time people slept. It wasn't until a few hours later that he realized that he probably messed around in his lab for too long- April's sparring probably ended ages ago. He slowly rose up from his chair and yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"Keep an eye on our lab, Doctor," Donnie said, petting Dr. Cluckingsworth's head. He walked over to the doors and opened them, raising his hand up to block out the sun. He looked around and saw no one outside. The sun was bright but it was beginning to set. _'Dang, I secluded myself for quite some time,'_ he thought to himself, stepping outside, closing the doors and heading inside the farm house.

He saw Leo from behind sitting on the couch in the living room watching Crognard the Barbarian, so he didn't bother to intrude. He went into the kitchen and grabbed the gallon of milk, chugging down the sweet, delectable dairy product. It sent shivers down his spine, but he didn't mind. He drank it down to the last drop and panicked- luckily, Casey and April bought 3 gallons of milk and there was 2 left in the fridge. He closed the fridge, threw the empty plastic gallon in the recycling box and made his way upstairs. He stepped into his room and jumped a bit at the sight of Casey and Mikey sitting on the bed talking.

"Whoa, don't give me an intervention; milk is just so good, case closed," Donnie joked, entering the room. Casey and Mikey laughed a little, then stopped, looking down. Donnie noticed this and became mysterious. "What's going on? Is it awkward from last night?"

"No, it's not that; we're all good, remember?" Casey reminded him.

"Then what is it?" Donnie asked, intrigued.

Mikey and Casey bit their lips, nervous to tell Donatello what had happened. Donnie became impatient and placed his hands on his hips, tapping his foot. They gave each other a nervous look, sighed, and looked up at Donnie. Mikey opened his mouth, but couldn't do it. He looked over to Casey and hoped that Casey was strong enough to tell Donnie. Casey and Donnie just started becoming good friends, and news like this might interrupt and might ruin their bond. Casey couldn't do it either.

"Fine then. I'll just get Raph to tell me," Donnie huffed triumphantly, walking out of the room and down to the living room. Leo was still watching Crognard, but it didn't seem like he was watching it; it looked like he was attending to something else. "Hey, Leo."

Leo jumped, surprised. He looked back slowly, easing himself a bit.

"Hey, finally out of the lab, I see."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I just talked to Casey and Mikey."

"Oh," Leo said, biting the inside of his cheeks nervously. "Are you mad?"

"No, not really," Donnie answered, unaware from the true meaning. "They wouldn't really go into detail."

"Well, if you wanna see her," Leo stopped, tilting his head down to his lap. Donnie became puzzled, hesitant to look at what Leo was signalling about. "Well, do you want to?"

"Uh," Donnie stuttered, really confused. He looked over and saw April's head on Leo's lap, and it looked like she was sleeping. He was about to ask Leo what he was talking about until he saw her body all bandaged and battered; ice packs on her side, fresh bandages, damp cloths on her head, and her odd breathing pattern. He looked down at Leo's feet and saw bloody and worn bandages, his eyes widening. His pupils dilated, the fact that April was injured sinking in. He froze and rushed over to her, bent down on his knees and shook, scared to touch her. "What the shell happened?!"

"You know what happened," Leo said, reminding him. "You talked to Casey and Mikey; you just said so!"

"Yeah, I did, and they were acting weird and wouldn't tell me what was bugging them! They didn't go into details or give simple information! What happened to April? Did a mutant come by and attack her?" Donnie kept asking questions, his voice raising louder and louder.

"Donatello, quiet down! She needs her rest," Leo urged sternly, lowering his voice. "Raph and April were sparring like a regular sparring session goes but things got intense; they cut each other up and bruised each other really good and Raph threw her over his shoulder and she stopped him. Raph felt guilty and ran off! She said that it's okay and she isn't upset, but she needs some time to recover, Donnie."

Donnie just stood in silence, brushing his hand over all the bandages and visible bruises softly. His eyes watered a bit as he examined his injured best friend. He clenched his fists and stood up, glaring out the window, staring at the woods. Leo looked up at his young brother, suspicious as to what he was staring at.

"Donnie, can you go try to find Raph? He's been in the woods for a long time and I'm worried about him."

"My pleasure," Donnie replied, storming out of the living room.

April stirred in her sleep as Donnie boomed out, grabbing Leo's attention. She curled herself into a more comfortable position, reaching out for something. She got a hold of Leo's wrist and pulled it to her chest, holding it tightly and going back to sleep. Leo felt his cheeks getting warm and tried to slither his hand out from the awkward place, but April clutched on tighter. He let out the breath he held on to and flipped his palm facing the tv, feeling less awkward then. He felt her shiver a bit and saw a blanket on the floor. He used his good leg and stretched it out, pulling it closer to him. He bent over slightly and grabbed it with his free hand, covering April's body. She wasn't bleeding as much now, so he started to close his eyes. He fell asleep, with his neck crooked in a not so comfy position. _"Suck it up,"_ he remembered April's words. He chuckled and slept.

Donatello was enraged more than ever; not only was he not there to protect April, but the person who hurt her was his hot-headed, short tempered, conceited brother, Raphael. He grabbed his bow staff and placed it in its compartment on the back of his shell, going into the woods and searching for his brother.

"When I find him, I'm gonna let him have it," Donnie mumbled to himself, looking at every inch he could see in the dark.

He looked around where he trained with Raph and Mikey, he looked around where the Creep had captured them and where he walked around, he searched around the highway and yet still couldn't find him. He hopped up in the trees, scanning every branch and saw no sign of Raphael. He checked in bushes, he checked inside trees, he checked by the river- nowhere to be seen. This only enraged him more. He stormed away from the woods, which he felt were taunting him. The wind whispered to him, _'You'll never find him.'_

As Donnie emerged from the woods, he went back inside and went over to April who was covered from the neck down to her feet with a warm blanket. Leonardo was in a deep sleep and didn't notice that April was clutching onto Leo's hand under the covers. He stroked his finger over her forehead, his lip pouting out. He wiped a smudge of dirt from her freckles and sighed, pressing his head onto her shoulder gently to avoid possibly hurting her. He took off her boots and her socks and placed them on the floor so she could adjust her feet more comfortably.

"I will seek vengeance for you, April. That is my word."


	13. The Foiled Brothers

Raphael ran further as he saw Donatello looking for him. He used his stealth skills as best as he could but was stumbling a lot; April really got him good. But he got her more. _'Ugh! I gotta get outta here, I just gotta!_ ' He hopped over the river, went across the road, and ran down the empty road until he just couldn't anymore. He saw Donnie searching the road, but then he turned around and stormed back towards the farm house. Raph let out a big sigh and panted, his hands on his knees as support. He winced a bit as he wiped his head, his cold sweats rolling into his cuts. He looked down at his battered body; he had to admit, April got better. He was surprised she stayed up that long. He felt proud of her, but then he saw the image of her down on the ground and shut his eyes tight, grabbing the sides of his head, trying to shake the image away. He slowly stood straight up and walked away from the road, going back into the woods.

Raph walked around for a while and finally sat down on a log, dropping his head in his hands. His eyes wandered up at the sky, the stars shining bright. But they had nothing on the moon. It was in the waxing gibbeous phase, but it was brightly lit. The moonlight beamed in Raph's green eyes, making his eyes twinkle. His mind dazed and he started to recall that night the Kraang invaded and finally won against him and his family. He remembered Mikey calling him, he and Casey running away from the leader of Kraang and trying not to get hit with mutagen, he remembered the worry that filled the apartment and Leo flying through the window. He remembered carrying Leo away into the Party Wagon, going down in the sewers with Donnie, Mikey and April to search for Splinter, and his mind replayed his father being defeated by Shredder in slow motion, seeing him disappear into the cyclone of sewer water. He remembered Michelangelo hugging and soothing him as he raged out about his father, Donnie's mecha-robot, cutting off the power from the city and electrocuting Kraang, Casey driving and crashing into Kraang, and driving away with his friends and his brothers, for the first time being defeated by the Kraang. He remembered watching over Leonardo for 3 consecutive months, the moment Leo finally woke up and how happy and relieved everyone was- he recalled everything.

Raph bent down and shot straight up, yelling at the top of his lung at the stars. _'The universe dealt us a terrible hand,'_ repeated over and over in his mind, recalling the bickering between he and April about they belonged in the sewers and not in the woods. He kept on yelling and started to punch the log that was beneath him, watching the wood chips fly off with every single punch he landed. His cries of anger turned to cries of pain, hot tears starting to flow down his dark green skin. The tears turned to a waterfall, drops of them landing in his cuts, dropping on his shoulders and thighs, curving around his cheeks and dangling from the bottom of his chin. He ceased his punching and dropped to the ground, sobbing violently.

It took a while for Raph to calm down. As he eventually did, he panted, wore out from his tantrum. He stood up and gently brushed off the blades of grass and spots of dirt on him, looking around the woods. He debated on whether or not he should stay there for the night since he assumed it was very late anyways or if he should head back. He quickly turned around and went towards the house, but walked slowly, taking his time.

Donatello walked around the house, pacing as his anger slowly increased. He checked in on Mikey and Casey, seeing that Casey had passed out on the chair and Mikey asleep on the bed, his legs and head dangling off from the sides. Donnie sighed and cradled Mikey's head in his hands and slowly turned Mikey around, making sure that he was comfortable enough not to stir in his sleep. He closed the door as he made his way out and went downstairs, checking in on Leo and April. Leo had cradled his head in a different position and noticed that Leo had contorted his face into an uncomfortable and pained expression, stirring around, which made April stir.

Donnie became worried and quietly hissed, his concern rising. He quickly went behind the couch and grabbed the most comfy-looking pillow he could locate and grabbed it. He lifted Leo's head up slowly and steadily, watching Leo's face. Leo started to crinkle his nose, moved around and started mumbling in his sleep, indicating he was close to waking up. Donnie hastily put the pillow under Leo's head and on the back of his neck, hoping Leo would cease his stirring. Leo kept crinkling his nose but eventually nuzzled his head into the pillow, letting out a heavy breath and giving a relaxed expression, going back to sleep.

Donnie sighed and wiped his brow, thankful Leo didn't wake up. He went around the couch and checked on April, who only moved her legs around as far as he could tell. Her eyebrows relaxed and her mouth opened up a little, starting to snore quietly. Donnie smiled sweetly and stood up, turned off the tv and got chills. He looked up at the AC and turned it off, wondering 'Who the shell keeps turning on the AC? I know it's hot outside during the day but honestly; we're reptiles!' After that, he turned off the lights and flicked on the lamp, sliding the doors closed slowly as he exited the living room.

He strolled into the kitchen and saw that a blanket was on a chair, picking it up and wrapping it around him. He looked outside the window above the sink and became a little worried about Raphael. He was more angry than he was worried, but no matter what, he'd always think of Raph and how he's holding up. He pressed his face to the window and looked around as much as he could from the tiny glass, seeing no signs of Raph anywhere. He pulled his face away from the window and opened the freezer, resting his arms on top of the refrigerator door and putting his head on top of them, staring in the freezer. Ice Cream Kitty woke up and looked up excitedly, expecting Michelangelo, but became confused when she saw Donatello. She bent forward a bit and meowed, grabbing Donnie's attention. He had stared out into space. She licked his nose and purred, rubbing against Donnie's cheek.

"Yech," Donnie groaned, feeling the ice cream starting to quickly dry on him. He looked at I.C.K. and saw that he had upset her, so he petted her and gave her a little smile, closing the freezer door. He turned on the faucet and started to splash water on his face, rubbing off the all ready dried ice cream off of his face. He then started pacing around the house, having nothing else to do but think about his feelings towards Raph. Yes, he was absolutely aggravated, but he was also worried. He wanted to punch him hard in the face, but wanted to console Raph and see if he was okay. He was so conflicted with his feelings, he eventually fell asleep on the stairs just trying to sort them out.

It had taken him a while, but eventually, Raphael emerged from the woods. He stopped, looking up at the old farm house, taking in a deep breath. He was worried that he would wake up anyone or if he would accidentally bump into April, which he wanted to avoid at all costs. He sighed and started walking again, tiptoeing up the creaky and worn-out stairs of the porch, hesitating to open the door. He stared at the knob for a minute and slowly grasped it, turning it and opening the door slowly. All the lights- except the light of the lamp in the living room- in the house were turned off. The only other light that was apparent was the moonlight shining through the kitchen window. Raph took a glance in the kitchen, up the upstairs hallway, and in the living room. He stepped in slowly and closed the door behind him, then turned around and jumped at the sight of Donnie passed out on the stairs.

 _'Was Donnie waiting for me? Does he even know about it?'_ Raph wondered, biting the bottom of his lip with concern. He slowly approached Donnie and scooped him up in his arms, slowly going up the stairs. He opened the door to Donnie's room and groaned quietly, seeing Mikey on the bed, his whole body spread out on the entire bed. Raph, growing weak and tiresome from holding Donnie- despite being the strongest of all of them- moved Mikey and pushed him to one side of the twin sized mattress, gently putting Donnie down on the other side he reserved for him. He spread the blanket across both his little brothers and left the room.

Raph balled his hands into fists and put them on his shell, pushing them into him as he arched his back and popped his back. He hissed as the sensation of the pops spread throughout his body, forgetting that April had beat him pretty bad. He went into the bathroom and flipped on the lights, looking at his reflection in the mirror. He saw that Donnie's first aid kit was in there, so he grabbed some cotton balls and q-tips and dipped them in peroxide and alcohol, gritting his teeth as he applied them to his cuts. He had some gashes, making him wince as it sank in his wounds. After that, he searched his body for bruises and found many, poking down hard on each of them to see if it hurt a lot or not. Some weren't that bad, but others made him jump a bit. He turned on the sink and washed his face, trying to smudge off the dried mud. He grunted with little progress, so he took a bath. He didn't like taking baths, but he didn't want the sound of the shower head to wake anyone up. He slowly and cautiously rubbed himself off, drained the water, filled a bowl with water and poured it over himself, hoping that he would wash off his bath water. He climbed out and dried himself with a towel, turning off the light and going downstairs.

He felt fresh and clean, but he was beat. He was exhausted, felt weak, and was just overwhelmed by his emotions. He plopped down in his chair in the living room and quickly fell into a deep sleep, with no comfort whatsoever; no pillows, no blankets, nothing at all to keep him warm.


	14. I Didn't Mean It

April stirred in her sleep as she dreamed of one of the turtles. Unlike her last dream with the beautiful and wonderfully lit trees of the woods, it was dark and the only light that shined was of the moon. The leaves were rustling as the wind blew and someone was sitting on a log, beating it hard and damaging it. She couldn't make out who it was, but she could hear the angered grunts turned to muffled cries of agony, the punching starting to cease. The figure slid off the log and fell to the ground, its crying increasing and the sound starting to slowly turn silent. It screamed loudly and stared into the heavens, screaming at the top of its lungs. April tried to make her way over to the figure, but she couldn't move; she was stuck and couldn't move from where she was. The figure looked in her direction with a confused and pained look, but it seemed like it couldn't see her, only the trees behind her. She squinted her eyes and saw that the color of its eyes glowed a bright green.

April shot up once again from her slumber, but this time the pain came crashing down on her. She forgot that she had just been battered and quickly raised her hand and covered her mouth, screaming as loud as she could into it. Lucking she pressed down hard on her mouth, muffling it. She felt her other hand grabbing something and looked down, seeing that she had grabbed onto Leo's arm while she was asleep. She looked up at the oldest terrapin, who was still sleeping. His neck was crooked and a pillow was on his shoulder. He looked discomforted. He stirred, started mumbling and crinkled his nose, starting to wake up.

Leonardo slowly opened his eyes and felt a jolt of pain surge on the back on his neck, making him hiss. He swiftly raised his hand and started to rub the back of his neck, trying to ease the pain. He smacked his tired lips and tried to stretch his arms, feeling something clutching onto one of his hands. He looked down tiredly and saw a hand, following the arm up to April's face. She gave him a tired but relaxed look, giving him a little smile to top it off. She let go and let him stretch. He rubbed his hands over his face and sat up straight, waking himself up.

"Mm," he mumbled, yawning. "Hey, sleepyhead."

"Me?" April yawned after Leo, managing to chuckle a little. "You're the one who just woke up."

"Oh yeah? Well you look like you just woke up, too," Leo retorted back, giving her a smug smile, then quickly widened his eyes, realizing that it could be turned into a mixed message. "I mean, not that you look bad or anything, I mean-"

"Leo, it's okay, I know what you meant," April laughed, punching his arm lightly. "So, did you deal with sleeping like that? It must have been a killer on your neck."

"I wasn't comfy for a while, but I guess someone gave me a pillow, which made me comfy, but then it slipped down, I guess. Other than that, I didn't sleep too bad. How about you?"

"You're a comfy pillow, that's for sure," she smiled, trying to arch her back but wincing. "Man, I keep forgetting about yesterday."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll just have to get used to it, I guess."

"Don't worry. You'll be up in no time, Apr-" Leo stopped, seeing something move in Raph's chair. He slowly stood up and tiptoed over to the chair, seeing that Raph was sleeping, but shivering. He grabbed the blanket and pillows that he and April used and watched over Raphael, making sure that he would transition to a comfy position and get warm. Eventually he did and started at Raph, his eyes furrowing into a worried look. Raph's face looked pained even though he was comfy. He didn't know when, but he knew his young brother had put a lot of stress, strain and exhaustion on himself. He also knew that Raph probably stayed out really late. He was glad Raph came back home, though. Leo looked at Raph's cuts and saw that they weren't bleeding, but they were exposed. "Oh, man."

"What is it?" April whispered. "Is something wrong?"

"It looks like Raph treated himself yesterday, but he isn't bandaged up. I'm going to go get Donnie's kit. Can you watch over him for a minute?"

"Sure, no problem, Leo," April agreed, slowly getting up and going over to Raph. She sat on the armrest of his chair and nodded at Leo, giving him the 'okay' to go. Leo stumbled out of the room, going upstairs.

April looked down at Raph. He snored a little louder than Leo does, but not much. He looked a little pale and had a lot of cuts, gashes and bruises on his body. She looked at his torso and saw that she had managed to scrape it with her tessen. She traced her finger over one of the scratches on his shell, sadly looking up at Raphael. She then placed her hand on his cheek and slowly slid her hand down to his chin, feeling extremely bad. She knew he was worried about hurting her even though she was okay with it and now that he had, she now knew that it was eating him up and he would trudge around and try to seclude himself. She knew he would try to avoid her at all times, which she didn't want at all. She put the pieces together and figured out that her dream was real; that the figure in her dream was Raphael and he had done all of that last night.

She sighed and shook her head at herself, trying to think of ways to fix it. It seemed like forever but it was only a couple of minutes 'til Leo came back with the first aid kit and bent down on his good knee and started to wrap Raph's cuts and gashes. Leo scanned Raph's body and saw multiple bruises. His eyes flickered to Raph's hands and saw that his knuckles were scraped and skinned, quickly cutting off the long strand of bandage wrap on Raph's leg and attended to his brother's knuckles. April watched Leo treating his brother, great concern and sadness expressed on his face.

"Uhm, Leo, do you mind if I do the rest?" April asked meekly.

"If you want to, sure you can," Leo said, giving her a weak smile. He handed her the roll of bandage wrap and slowly stood up, going to the kitchen. "I'm gonna get him some water and wait for him to wake up. I might as well make myself some food and eat- that is, if I don't burn it. Do you want some? You must be parched."

"Sure," April called, starting to wrap Raph's knuckles. "You should get some ready for Mikey and Casey. You know how they wake up early. Maybe Donnie too, but I'm not sure what time he got out of his lab. It must have been late."

"Okay," Leo agreed, starting to cook. He noticed that it was morning and the sun was shining, but it was covered by the dark clouds and the grey sky that surrounded it. The window was pulled up and the screen blew in the smell of the outside. Leo smelled it and sniffed a couple of times. _'It's going to rain today.'_

Meanwhile, Casey woke up due to the sound of rumbling thunder. He was right next to the window of Donnie's room. He looked over to the bed and saw that Donnie and Mikey were both asleep on the bed. Donnie was laying on his side while Mikey was sleeping on Donnie, snoring. Casey crinkled his nose and laughed at the sight.

"Some dorks." He mumbled, trudging out of the room. He made his way downstairs and smelled sizzling food, a smile instantly appearing on his face. He raced the rest of the way down and saw Leonardo at the stove with a fork in his hand. "Hey, Leo, what's cookin'?"

"Some plantains," Leo answered, smiling proudly to himself. He hasn't burnt any yet! "You want some?"

"Plantains? What about eggs?"

"I can make some if you want, but we've had that every morning, ya'know."

"Well," Casey was about to say something, but realized Leo was right. "Okay. Plantains it is. Do we have sour cream or sugar? It's so good with either or."

"I think so, but you and April are the ones that buy food for us," Leo laughed smugly. "Use your head, Casey."

"Hey, I just woke up, man," Casey laughed, pouring himself some juice. "Mikey and Don crashed together. It's hilarious."

"I wish I could see," Leo laughed. "Those two sometimes, I swear."

While Leo and Casey were catching up, Raph started to awaken from his sleep. He opened his eyes a bit, narrowing them to adjust to the light. He started to open them more and looked around. He was startled when he saw April looking down at him, worry and relief in her eyes. He wanted to bolt out of there- he couldn't bare to look at the friend he'd hurt. April saw the panic in his eyes and placed her hand on his shoulders, giving him a reassuring look. He sank into the chair, trapped.

"Raph," April said, looking down. "Raph, I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Raph laughed in disbelief. "What are you saying sorry for? Ya got nothin' to apologize for, April."

"Yes, I do, now shut up," April said sternly. "I'm sorry. I know you were worried that you might hurt me, and now that you have even when I said it'd be okay, you're feeling guilty and I just- I caused this pain of yours. I'm sorry. I'm the one that broke you."

"Y-ya didn't brea-"

"I had a vision- sort of- in my dream. I dreamed that you were in the woods all alone and you just started beating yourself up about it and yo-you screamed, you cried, you punched things- that's why your knuckles were red and scratched and skinned. Leo was worrying about you as he comforted me last night- I could tell. I'm really sorry, Raph. I just wanted to improve my kunoichi skills and learn some moves from you and the turtles."

Raphael raised his cheek up, giving her a half smile. He sighed and hissed, his ribs hurting. She once again put her hand on her cheek and gave him an understanding look. She knew what pain he was going through. He then chuckled a little bit and patted her hand.

"I know that it woulda been okay and that you wouldn't be mad, but I just didn't want to hurt ya- ya'know? I mean- we slipped up big time with the mutagen thing and lost ya, and I didn't wanna be the guy who makes that happen again. We'd all miss ya- especially Don."

"Awh, Raph, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere. Now, c'mon, Captain Leonardo is making food."

"Awesome," Raph said, finally hearing his hoarse and raspy voice. He grabbed April's hand and had her help him up and they made their way to the kitchen, helping each other on the way. "Hey, lameo," Raph joked, giving Leo a reassuring look. Leo eased himself and gave Raph a warm smile, going back to cooking.

"Leo's makin' plantains, bro," Casey announced. "Heyyo, Reddo."

"Mornin', road rage," April joked, smugly smiling at him. "How'd ya sleep?"

"Eh, slept okay. Stupid thunder woke me up."

"Oh, yeah, it's gonna rain soon. I smelled it," Leo said.

"Really? How can ya smell rain?" Raph snickered, confused.

"How can you not?" Leo answered, raising his eyebrows as he realized he had something Raph didn't.

"Good comeback, Captain," Raph said, rolling his eyes. "Where's Pinky and the Brain?" _[BA DUM TSS]_

"Sleepin' on the same bed," Casey answered, going into a fit of laughter.

Raphael felt worry go through him; he knew Donnie had to know. Someone must have told him or he must have seen April eventually. He knew Donnie was going to be ticked with him, but he didn't know how much. He had to confront him sooner or later, but he wasn't looking forward to it, that's for sure.

Michelangelo slowly rose, waking up and smacking his dry mouth. He climbed off of Donnie and slowly exit the room, trying not to wake up Donnie. He went down the stairs and smelled food, running down. He saw Leo handing Raph, Casey and April plates of plantains. He looked up at his oldest brother and pouted a bit.

"Hey, Mikey, I was just about to make you a plate," Leo smiled sweetly.

"Dude, being chef is my thing!" Mikey whined, crossing his arms.

"Oh. Mikey, I'm sorry. I just got hungry and then I made some for April 'cause she was too, and she said I should make some you guys," Leo mumbled, feeling a bit bad. "But, I learned how not to burn food, courtesy of Chef Michelangelo," Leo said, offering a meek smile, hoping it would help out.

"Well, that's good," Mikey said, giving Leo a little proud grin. "But I'm the best cook in this family, ya hear?"

"Loud and clear, Smooch Smooch," Leo teased, handing Mikey his plate. Mikey giggled and started gobbling down his food, savoring the flavors. He had to admit, Leo made some mean plantains. Casey scooped him some sugar and sprinkled it on Mikey's food.

"Not bad, fearless leader," Raph said with a mouthful of plantains and sour cream. "Impressive."

"These are good," April complimented. "Better than the first time you cooked."

"Ohh," Casey started, laughing. "Oh, man, that was so bad!"

"Totally, dudes!" Mikey chirped, laughing. "Leo, you should put D's food in the microwave."

"Yeah, doesn't seem like he's gonna wake up soon," Leo agreed, sliding the platter in the microwave.

**But they thought wrong.**

Donatello woke up from both the laughter beneath the floorboards of his room and the loud, crashing thunder outside. Donnie shivered, a bit jumpy, but started to adjust to the noise and rubbed his eyes, yawning. He saw no one but himself in the room, assuming that everyone woke up all ready. He stretched out his long limbs and popped his neck, climbing out of bed. He lingered around upstairs and remembered where he slept, wondering who must have carried him up. Leonardo couldn't have- his leg would have gave out at one point, sadly. Casey and Michelangelo were too deep in their sleep, and April couldn't have- she was way too hurt. _'Did Raphael carry me? Wh-why would he do that when he's hurt?'_

Donnie's thoughts started to cloud him, his emotions conflicting him once again. He was mad at Raph, but worried for him. Wanted to kick Raph where he deserved it, but wanted him to heal. He paced the hallway, his hands behind his back. He blocked out all the sounds but the ones in his head, his eyes darted on the wooden floor. He just couldn't depict what he was feeling.

Raph, Leo, and Mikey all made their way upstairs, on the way to replace Raph's bandages and try to clean him up some more. Mikey remembered that he hadn't wished Ice Cream Kitty or anyone else a good morning, so he raced down the stairs. Leo and Raph looked at each other and shrugged, continuing their way upstairs. Leo's leg wasn't bothering him so much, so he speed-walked up the stairs and raced into the bathroom, waiting for Raph to reach him and probably pound him. Raph felt weak and weary, his body feeling like an anchor. He finally made his way at the top and bumped into Donnie, both stumbling back. _'Oh, shell, I might as well get it over with,'_ Raph thought to himself, staring at Donnie. Donnie opened his eyes and his eyes laid on Raph, all his emotions turning into one big bundle of anger.

"Raphael, out of all the stupid things you've done, this has got to be the worst!" Donnie started, gritting his teeth.

"Don, listen-"

"No, you listen, shit-for-brains," Donnie hissed, poking his finger into one of Raph's bad bruises. Raph hissed and looked up at Donnie, feeling worried. "I don't care if you hurt me in front of April; I've gotten used to it. I don't care if you embarrass me, I don't care if you do anything to me. Shell, Raph, why did you go and do that? Why?!"

"Donnie, I didn't mean it; now calm down," Raph said, getting a headache from the loud crash of thunder.

"Oh, and I suppose I don't mean this," Donnie yelled, getting Leo's attention. Leo raced out of the bathroom and saw Donnie's hand raised in the air and saw that it was balled into a fist.

"Donatello, stop!" Leo screamed, breathing rapid and heavy.

Donnie swung and punched Raph square in the face, kicked Raph between the legs and on his torso, grabbed Raph by his neck, lifted him up, and did an uppercut on Raph, sending Raph flying down the hall and crash into the wall.

"No!" Leo cried, racing over to Raph and pushing Donnie out of his way harshly. His leg started to bother him, but he fought against the pain and kept running, jumping and landing next to Raph. "R-Raph? Raphael?" Leo whispered, tears rushing out of his face, his eyes narrowing down as his frown grew. "Raphael! Wake up, Raph! Please, wake up!" He shook Raph back and forth, lowering his head down and pressing his head against Raph's forehead, shaking. It was no use; Donatello had knocked the all ready very injured Raphael out cold. Leo couldn't lose anyone- even if it was just someone being unconscious, he couldn't lose anyone. He had to be the one to keep them all together no matter what, and right now, his young brother was laying limp in his arms.


	15. A Breather

"Donnie, what the **_shell?!_** " Leonardo croaked loudly through his tears, looking down at Raphael. He had never come that close to cursing at Donnie, but he was furious.

"He had it coming, Leo!" Donnie retorted, feeling nothing but pride. "He hurt April!"

"He was doing what she _fucking_ told him to do, Donatello, you know that!" Leo hissed through his teeth. "Just go! Raph was all ready hurt and weak enough and you go and do that at his weakest state? I don't know why you're feeling confident and smiling that cocky smile; you took advantage of him at his lowest point. That's nothing to be honored about, that's pathetic."

Leonardo slithered his arms under Raph's legs and neck, scooping him up and straining as he stood up. Leo then made his way downstairs, pushing Donnie against the wall. He climbed down the stairs slowly so he wouldn't trip and lose his grip on Raph. Michelangelo, April and Casey were all having a good laugh when Mikey noticed Raph was in Leo's arms. His cheerful, soft and joyous face quickly turned gloomy, hard and worried, running over to Leo like there was no tomorrow. Mikey helped Leo carry Raph into the living room, tearing up as he looked down at his big brother's face.

April and Casey saw the two turtles carrying Raph in the living room, becoming concerned. Casey ran over to the living room to help out and April stepped out, watching from afar. She sighed and thought, 'Did Raph pass out? I should have brought his breakfast to him; he took a lot of energy out of himself last night.' She was about to go in the living room with them when she saw Donnie upstairs, clenched fists and a bold posture. He had a blank expression but his mouth was in a little wicked smile. She gasped and furrowed her eyebrows, getting the picture: Donnie.

"Donatello Hamato," she growled, climbing up the stairs. She struggled going up and Donnie raced down to help her. He touched her arm, trying to help, but she pulled away, giving him an angry look. "Don't touch me, Donnie. We need to talk."

"Fine," Donnie replied, standing behind her just in case she needed help. She made it up by herself and sternly opened the door to Donnie's room, pointing to the bed. He looked around awkwardly, stepping inside. She walked in and slammed the door shut.

"Donnie, are you the reason why Raphael is unconscious?"

"You never know if he just lost consciousness since he's so weak at the moment," Donnie replied, avoiding the question and April's eyes of fury.

"Donnie, does it look like I want any of this coming from my best friend? I don't want to argue with you, but if you did, I'm going to have to. Now, let me ask you again. Did. You. Do. This. To. Raph."

"That didn't sound very interrogative," Donnie once again avoided the question.

"Fine, answer this; do you care about me?"

"April, of course I do," Donnie said, full attention on her. "You're the most important person to me."

"Okay."

"What do you mean 'okay?'"

"Okay as in okay, you'll go work things out."

"Shell no. I was defending you! Y-your honor!"

"Oh, 'honor?' That was not even close to honorable. Who said I wanted you to do that? I wanted anything but **THAT** to happen. Donnie, I know you did it because Raph hurt me, but if you haven't noticed, I gave him gashes; multiple gashes. We both got each other cut and bruised, but I left gashes, Donnie. If you were to do that to anyone, it should have been me, not your own big brother. Not the guy who you've lived, known, grew and bonded with your entire life. I understand you care about me, as do I to you. But going against your own brother for something I asked him to do is shitty of you to do, especially at his weakest state. I thought you'd just be silent around him but still look after him, but I was clearly wrong. He's pale, he's weak, he has no energy, he has no want to trudge around the house, he has no feeling but guilt and vulnerability, and you took advantage of your own big brother. If my speech doesn't break through to you in the least bit, I don't know what fucking will."

With that, she stomped out of the room and slammed the door so hard, it opened back up and a hinge broke. She stormed down the stairs and calmed down, entering the living room with the rest of the guys. Casey and Mikey made room for April. She filled the gap and bent down toward Raph, seeing that his chest was very slowly rising and falling. He was breathing in shallow breaths, which only made April worry even more and made her feel even worse about the whole thing. Her lip quivered and she turned and fell into Mikey's arms, sobbing violently. Mikey quickly pulled her into his embrace, trying to coo her but failing, as he started to cry along with her. She nuzzled her head under his chin, muffling her cries into his light green skin.

Leonardo and Casey looked at each other sadly, watching Raph's rising and falling chest. He wasn't snoring at all. He looked paler than earlier. Leo got down on his knees and grabbed Raph's hand tightly, laying his head down on Raph's chest. He could hear his brother's slow heartbeat, which kind of put him at ease as he breathed along with it. Casey's eyes moistened as he looked down at his best friend. He laid his hand on Raph's arm, lowering his head down.

Eventually Casey took Mikey out of the room, trying to find something to cease Mikey's crying. Instead of slowly stopping his tears, Mikey instead only cried more. Leo and April were still in the living room, looking sadly at Raph. Leo took off Raph's gear; his knee pads, his elbow pads, his dark brown wrapping on his feet and wrists, the wrapping on his fingers, and finally, pained as he did so, he took off Raphael's red mask. He removed Raph's belt slowly and steadily and put it all in a secret place he stashed his stuff so Mikey wouldn't mess with it. Raph had nothing but his skin and bandages wrapped around his gashes on him. Leo looked down, pained to see Raph like this; but Master Splinter always did this if any of the turtles were extremely injured, so had to step up and unfortunately do the role himself. Leo couldn't hold it in; doing that made him think so many negative scenarios, so he cried into Raph's neck.

"Please wake up soon. I don't care if I have to watch you as long as you watched me, or longer or shorter; I am not leaving you out of my sight, Raph. Please be okay, please be okay, _please, I can't lose you,_ Raph. Please, fight through this. _Please pull through_. We'll train as soon as you're ready, just like you made me do, which made me vomit, which made the Creep, who turned you into a plant and we lost you for a while and it was my fault we lost you- Raph, please, if you're hearing me, I know you're thinking 'this dork oh my god stop crying' but I just need you to be here, 'cause it wouldn't be the same without you. Please, get well no matter how long it takes, I-" Leo stopped, his voice too strained, so he croaked and just kept crying. He eventually stood up and gave Raph a squeeze on the hand and bolted out of the living room, running outside and into the woods.

"Leo, come back!" April called out to him. Casey and Mikey saw Leo running, so they ran after him.

"Leo, bro!" Mikey called, bolting after Leo. The three disappeared into the woods. "Leo!"

April sighed and went back over to Raph, pulling up a chair and sitting on it. The guilt was eating her away; all of this was on her. She was torn. She felt lost. She felt numb. She went away and into Donnie's lab, searching through it. She found a breathing mask and a CPAP machine and ran back into the house. Donnie was looking down from the stairs at her and his eyes were mixed with sadness and cockiness. She glared at her best friend and left him there, rushing over to Raph. She connected the mask and the machine and hooked the mask on Raph's face, turning on the machine. She watched Raph's chest, waiting to see if he would breath normally. She knew that it was for the direct use for sleep apnea, but she had to try something. She waited patiently and finally saw that his breathing started to pace to normal speed, gasping happily. She took off the mask to avoid any bad possibilities, keeping an eye on his breathing. His color kind of came back, but not much. But she was happy with anything she got.

She pulled out her t-phone and dialed Mikey.

"Y-yeah, hello?" Mikey sniffled.

"Hey, Mikey, I-I did something."

"What'd you do?" Mikey asked, listening carefully.

"I-I got Raph's breathing back to normal- and some of his color came back!"

"R-really?" Mikey chirped, smiling. "Guys, y-ya hear that! April- she made Raph a little better!"

"Oh my god," April heard Leo sigh happily, then some sobbing. "Oh my- thank-I-let's go back, please, guys."

"Yeah, let's go dude, it's creepy out here," Casey insisted, starting the way.

"We'll see you back home, April!" Mikey said, hanging up.

It took them a while, but they eventually stormed back in the house. Leo rushed his way by Raph and smiled, hugging April tightly and thanking her. He even placed a brotherly kiss on her forehead and put his attention back on Raph, just laughing in relief. April looked at the three boys just smiling so happily over such little progression, but then, who wouldn't? _'Donnie,'_ she thought, walking out of the room. She went upstairs and knocked on Donnie's door lightly, inviting herself if. Donnie was sitting on the bed, his back turned on her. He was staring out the window and was in deep thought. She made her way next to Donnie and sat down, just waiting for him to daze his way back into reality.

"Did you need something?" Donnie asked blankly, not moving his eyes.

"I need to talk to you."

"You all ready did."

"No, again."

"No, thanks."

"Donnie, just hear me out. You can be mad at Raph all you want, you can act as cocky as you want, but you know deep down you're regretting it and you just want to go down there and find ways to get him toward recovery. All of this- the blame is on me. You need to go help your brother, 'cause if you don't, things won't be the same. Everyone will eventually be hostile towards one another, things will feel awkward, and I won't want to go to you for anything anymore and might not want you as my best friend, and I don't want that in my life. Please."

"April."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Donnie looked down at her, placed his hand on her cheek, tilted her chin up with a finger and leaned down, placing a kiss on her nose. He then stood up, grabbed some things and exit the room, leaving April confused. She noticed she was tired. She laid down on the bed and quickly went to sleep.

Donatello grabbed the guys' attention, all growing silent. He placed his stethoscope around his neck and walked over to Raphael, bending down. They all backed away and gave him some room.

"He's got some decreased breathing sounds, but his heart beat is strong. He'll be up and at it soon enough."

Leo looked at his young, intelligent brother and bit the inside of this cheeks, giving Donnie a firm nod. Even though Donnie wasn't fully apologetic and was still mad from what the guys could tell, Leo was satisfied that he came down and went to check in on Raph. Leo stepped up and gave Donnie a squeeze on the shoulder, then patting Donnie's head. Donnie looked up at his old brother and gave him a litle side smile.

"So, D, when do you think Raph'll wake up?" Mikey asked, nervous about the answer.

"It shouldn't be very long, Mikey. Don't worry."

"You never know if they're will be surprises along the way, Don," Casey butt in, showing a bit of fury along with concern for his best friend. "If he doesn't come out of this or he doesn't act the same, your shell is mine."

"Whatever, Jones," Donnie shoved off his statement. "I just said he'll be fine."

"Medically, yea, but you don't know about mentally or physically."

"That's why we wait patiently, Casey. But you wouldn't know of such a word," Donnie retorted, standing up. "I'll go get some heating pads so his body temperature doesn't go down too much."

"You've done enough, Kraang breath," Casey growled, pushing Donnie out of the way. "I'll get it myself."

"Hmph," Donnie huffed, narrowing his eyes. He felt at odds with everyone- _Well, you are the one who knocked out your own brother when he was at his weakest point, genius_ , he thought to himself. He dropped his head down and sighed, running his hand over his face. "Oh, man, I messed up."

"Don, it's slick," Mikey whispered, consoling his brother. "Your anger got the best of you- when you saw Raph, you just reacted defensively, which is just human nature."

"Uhm, we're not exactly human, Mikey."

"You get the point, D. It was just instinctive and it was all part of defense."

Donatello was sometimes surprised by how wise his hyperactive little brother was sometimes. Donnie couldn't help but to give a meek and sheepish smile and give Mikey a side hug. Mikey returned a sweet smile and walked out of the room, looking for Casey. He knew that Casey was steamed that his best friend was down. He found Casey in the basement, just throwing the heating pads around. Mikey's smile faded as he approached Casey.

"Bro, what are you doing down here?" Mikey asked.

"Nothin', Mikey, just, doing my thing, I guess."

"Why don't you just tell me what's bugging you, bro?"

"Raph- my best friend being down right now, obviously," Casey turned and raised his voice, clenching on the heating pad as some sort of stress reliever. "Donnie had to go and follow his stupid anger wants and just did something so stupid just to have the upperhand!"

"Kind of like what your stupid cave mouth did with Leo?" Donnie's voice boomed from the top of the steps, jumping down and walking toward Casey. "Seems vaguely familiar."

"Back off, Don. This doesn't concern you," Casey growled.

"This all concerns me. Obviously I put Raph at this state, so I have full responsibility. Just give me the heating pads and I'll leave you to whine."

"Nah, Donnie."

"Casey, you're being ridiculous. Raph is losing precious seconds as we debate about this-"

"What? I thought you said he'd be fine, D!" Mikey yelled, tears forming. "Did you lie to me?"

"No," Donnie said, trying to rephrase it. "I meant that he'll just get more cold if I don't get it to him in a minute- we're cold blooded reptiles, Mikey. If any of our body temperatures drop down too much, I- I don't know what would happen."

"Just give me the heating pads," April's voice boomed from behind them.

"It's fine, April. I'll go and attend to Raph," Donnie said, making his way and grabbing the heating pads from Casey's hand.

"There's no way I'm letting you go near him," Casey said, grabbing onto Donnie's wrist too tightly.

"Let go, Jones," Donnie raised his voice, trying to pull his arm away.

"That's enough!" April yelled, grabbing the heating pads. "Casey, I know you're hurt and worried about losing Raph. But Donnie's trying to attend to him and you're preventing it. Me and Leo are up there watching over Raph. I doubt Donnie will try to hurt him- none of us want to lose each other. We don't need that. Donnie, take a break or something and work out this whole situation. Your guys' constant bickering is getting out of hand."

"April!" Leo's voiced trailed through the floorboards. "April!"

"I'm coming, Leo!" April yelled back, giving Casey and Donnie a stern look before going back up. She ran over to the two older turtles in the living room and grabbed the extension cord of one of the heating pads, plugging it in. She placed it on Raph's head, another on his neck and chest. She pulled a blanket over him and tucked him in, pressing the back of her hand to Raph's head. He was still cold, but the heat was working its way around. "What'd you call me up for?"

"He-he was just getting cold," Leo stuttered, looking dumbfounded. "Wh-what if Donnie's not available and I have to do something medical related? I'm not smart and advanced in this kind of stuff as Donatello is."

"Leo, stop giving yourself a hard time and focus on Raph healing right now," April cooed, trying to sooth Leo's nerves.

"The responsibility of all my brothers and yours and Casey's health and safety is just pressing down on me- I-I don't know."

"Leo," April quietly said, looking up at him. "I know. But you're their big brother and they'll never lose faith in you. You are doing the best you can. Don't give up so easily. Raph is going to come out of this. If Raph can sit by the tub for 3 months, you can wait for Raph to wake up soon."

"Yeah, okay," Leo said quietly, looking away from April and down to the floor. He averted his eyes back down to his brother and put the back of his head against Raph's neck, a little sheepish smile on his face as he felt Raph's body temperature go up a little bit. "He-his temperature is kinda coming back to his usual cold self," Leo chuckled, trying to cheer himself up. "Poor Raph."

"He'll be up and at it soon," April said, trying to console him.

"No, not that," Leo said, his smile fading away. "I mean- these past few months, ya know?"

"I don't follow."

"Well, he saw me get thrown in by a window and saw that I was unconscious, and I know how worried he gets if any of us are hurt. Then he had to see our dad- I mean, Splinter, being defeated by Shredder and falling into his demise. He had to accept the fact that the Kraang finally defeat us and that his home was destroyed. He-he lost Spike- I don't know why that comes up but I know Spike meant a lot to him. He watched over me for 3 months in constant worry and had to step up for Donnie and Mikey. I know that part wasn't so difficult, but emotions can get the best of him. He's just- tough. Physically and emotionally. I hope that one day I can show him how much I appreciate him and give him all he deserves."

Leonardo cupped Raphael's face, rubbing his thumb over Raph's face structure. April sat silent and looked at her wounds, seeing that her bandages weren't as bloody as before. She forgot her own wounds, which was good. She still felt weak but she felt as strong as ever.

"Me too," April said, grabbing Raph's hand and giving it a squeeze. "Raph's a great guy."

"Yeah," Leo smiled. "Yeah, he is. All my brothers are a real card."

"Oh really?" April giggled lightly. "Like how?"

"Well, for starters, Mikey. You know; goofy, witty, instinctive and hyperactive. But he's so supportive, consoling, sensitive and smart in his own ways- I mean, he owns the floor when it comes to Kraang intelligence. He knows the ways of Dimension X and was- is very impressive. He never ceases to amaze me. He's growing stronger physically and emotionally, I can see that, but he hasn't changed, and I don't ever want him to. I know he can be a hassle at times, but who isn't in this house? Not that I mean it in a bad way. Michelangelo- he's just a great guy to have around. He'll try to find ways to make you feel better and will try to learn something if you like it- Donnie with science, for example. Plus he's amazing at cooking and naming things- can't forget that."

"Okay, what about Donatello?"

"Donnie, hmm. Brilliant, a whiz at science, medicine, and technology, approaches situations logically, he's becoming a great fighter, and he's stepping his ground more than ever. All of these things are both a blessing and a curse on him, I can tell. He has all this intelligence that will come really handy in situations, but sometimes I can see that when it all falls on him, he gets stressed out. He's the one that knows it all and it can be a heavy burden. His confidence is improving, too. Sometimes I just think of ways how I can tell Donnie how much I appreciate him and how we couldn't get by without him. Even though he doesn't always say things in layman's terms, I know it's good coming from him."

"Awh, that's so sweet," Mikey chirped from behind the doors, happy tears streaming down his face. He ran over to Leo and hugged him from behind, nuzzling his head into Leo's neck. "Did you really mean all of that- what you said about me?"

"Of course," Leo smiled, turning around to face Mikey. "I meant every word."

"Awh, Leo," Mikey said quietly, jumping into Leo's arms. "I love you, man."

Leo was taken aback for a minute, but quickly pulled Mikey into his embrace, nuzzling his face into Mikey's soft shoulders. April smiled and teared up at the sight of the two turtles comforting and connecting, wiping away a tear that dared to fall. Mikey buried his head into Leo's chest and listened to Leo's heart beat, breathing along with it. Mikey was about to pull away when Leo's arms wouldn't budge. Mikey looked up at Leo and saw that his eyes were closed tightly. He quickly hugged Leo back again, harder this time. Leo pressed himself against Mikey tightly, wanting to never let go of his littlest brother. Mikey didn't mind Leo digging his fingers into his skin as long as Leo was okay.

Donatello stepped in finally, emerging from the basement. He had heard what Leonardo said about him from the basement and felt touched. He didn't know until then what Leo felt towards him and now that he knew, he couldn't be more pleased. He walked over and sat by his hugging brothers, watching them grab a tighter hold on each other. Donnie looked over to Raph and saw that his color was slowly coming back, smiling. He removed the heating pads from Raph to prevent him from overheating and unplugged them from their sockets. He tucked in Raph and sighed, hoping his big brother would wake up soon. He wanted nothing but to apologize and get Raph back up and at it. April grabbed Donnie's hand, looking over at him. He looked down at her, slowly grabbing her hand back.

Leonardo opened his eyes and saw Donnie, pulling him away from Raph and pulling him in the hug. Donnie was surprised when both Leo and Mikey embraced him, quickly hugging them back afterwards. Donnie felt relieved, warm, safe and better- a hug was just what he needed at that moment.

"We're all such dorks," Donnie butted in, stifling a laugh.

"What's so bad about that?" Mikey asked, starting to chuckle. "Dorks, nerds, maybe babies."

"Maybe baby," Leo said in a monotone and quick voice, laughing quietly at how it sounded. "Maybe baby."

"Maybe baby," Mikey joined in, letting his laugh linger out from silence. The three turtles stopped hugging and started laughing.

"Maybe baby," Donnie tried to say in a slick voice, failing. He started to laugh at himself since he sounded so stupid trying, making his brothers laugh too.

While they were laughing about two words, April chuckled and stood up, going down to the basement to check on Casey. He was pacing around, his head low and hands in the pockets of his jeans. She cleared her throat and got his attention, giving him a little side smile.

"Are you okay, Casey?"

"As ever," Casey replied, giving her a fake smile.

"You're scared of losing someone, Casey, I know that."

"Aren't we all?"

"Of course we are."

"Then what makes me being so bummed about it so interesting?"

"Nothing but your little defense wall and protectiveness," April said dumbly as if it was obvious. "What else is bothering you?"

"Nothin', April, it's good."

April sighed when she heard Casey say her name instead of 'Red,' knowing something deeper was bothering him. She approached him and grabbed him by the shoulders, not letting him move. She stared into his brown eyes and waited for him to spill. He sighed, giving in.

"I just can't lose anyone. I couldn't find my dad or my little sister- I don't know if they're Kraangatized, if they're captured in one of the Kraang facilities, if they're hiding in the city or if they're not even in the city at all- It's basically like I lost them and I don't know where to go from there. If I lose Raph, I'll lose it. I can't lose anyone else. I know we all can't lose each other, but I'll just go beserck."

"Casey, I know. My dad got mutated again, I almost lost you multiple times, I almost lost the guys at times, I lost Irma- it's tough to power through. But, I'm here for you if you go nuts. But Raph is going to be fine. You just need to be there for him and don't forget to find someone or something to confide into, okay?"

"Yeah, okay, Red," Casey sighed, nodding. "Thanks."

"No problem." She gave him a tight hug and looked up at him. "Let's go upstairs. Did you and Donnie work things out?"

"Eh, not exactly."

Casey and April emerged from the basement and went into the living room, seeing that the three terrapins were watching TV. Donnie saw Casey's arm around April and would usually get mad about it, but instead he gave a firm nod at Casey and turned around, watching Raph and TV at the same time.

"D, why don't you watch watch?" Mikey asked.

"It takes 6 hours to start brain cell loss while watching television. I'd like to keep my intelligence, thank you very much."

"Psht, you need to chillax, bro," Mikey snickered playfully.

"Sh! It's back on!" Leo urged, engaged into the TV program.

They all lounged around and watched Crognard the Barbarian for a while until they all got tired. Donnie checked Raph one last time and gave Leo a nod, standing up and slugged his way out of the room, waving good night to them. Mikey yawned like a little kid and wished them a good night, following Donnie up the stairs. Casey walked out and said night, going to sleep in the car in the shack, leaving April and Leo alone with Raph.

Raph's breathing sounded sharp and normal, easing Leo a lot.

"Y'know, Leo," April yawned, scooting close to him. She winced a bit as she slid on her bruises but sucked it up. "I could watch over him if you want. Let me worry for you this one time."

"I'm not going to leave his side. You can join me, though."

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," Leo said quietly, leaning against the couch and closing his eyes. "Despite Raph's condition, today was a breather. Today was relaxing and easing, and it was what I needed, along with that long hug with Mikey and the one with him and Donnie. I could hear Raph's voice calling us a bunch of dorks," Leo chuckled, folding his arms behind his head. "I miss his insults all ready."

"You'll hear them before you know it, Leo," April replied, arching her back and hissing.

"You need to be easy on yourself. You've been up and around a lot today and you haven't really paid attention to your health and safety today. Are you okay?"

"Oh, totally," April swung her arm, pulling a muscle and shrieking. Leo quickly jumped by her side and landed hard on his bum knee, gritting his teeth. He subsided it and attended to her arm.

"Yeah, I totally believe you," Leo replied sarcastically, slowly moving her arm around. "How are your bruises?"

"They're," April held her tongue, knowing that lying was useless. "Pretty sore."

"And tender," Leo added, pressing on them gently. She winced and sighed. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

"Sleepy tired or I-have-no-energy tired?"

"Second one."

"Then you," Leo quickly set a blanket and a pillow on the floor nearby the fire and scooped April up, laying her down gently and putting another blanket on top of her. "Need to sleep and recharge that battery." He strained a bit as he put pressure on his knee but he was okay.

"I'll stay up and watch Raph with you," April insisted, getting herself up on her arm and almost fell back on the ground when Leo caught her. "I want to help."

"And I wanna help you get better. Your health and safety is as important as any of ours."

"Well, I can tell your knee is bothering you, Mr. Leader."

"Great comeback," Leo rolled his eyes, smiling. "Well, yeah, but it's fine right now."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Well, I'm gonna help you watch Raph anyways."

"Fine, but you need to stay there. I'm gonna go get you some water."

"And for you?" April asked, giving him a stern look.

"Yes, and for moi," Leo said, sarcastically glorifying himself. "Keep an eye on Raph. I haven't left this room all day and I gotta uh-"

"Go take care of your business!" April urged, waving him out. "Just don't say it!" She shivered sarcastically in disgust and covered her ears, sending Leo away. "Go, shoo!"

Leonardo laughed and ran up the stairs, starting to take care of his business. April looked over at Raph and listened to the silence, just as Master Splinter had taught her to do and held her breath as she listened to Raph's breathing. It was at normal pace and his color was slowly coming back. It had all day but very very slowly. He was a light shade of dark green. She closed her eyes and focused, seeing if she could get into his thoughts. She managed to, but it was dark. There was a movement of lights around the darkness, all moving in a way as if someone dipped their finger in a puddle. All the colors collided and it was swaying in motion to a faint song that was playing. The colors swayed, curved, straightened out, bent and joined other colors, all of them functioning at good speed in their own ways. April opened her eyes and emerged from Raph's head. She realized the movements and colors had represented his brain functions, and they were all slowly returning to their normal speed and stability. April exhaled a breath and smiled a bit. April had entered Raph's mind and now knew that he was getting better. He'd be awake soon. She teared up a bit and went over to Raph slowly, grabbing his hand and crying.

"See you soon, Raph."


	16. Hey, Guys

3 days had passed by and Raphael had not yet woken up. Everyone was anxious and on the edge. April had told the guys that she saw that his brain functions were slowly progressing and going back to normal when she entered her mind that other night and they all gained so much hope. Leonardo kept a constant vigil over Raph along with April. Donatello always did a regular check up 2 or 3 times a day to see how Raph was holding up. This day, he did another check up and noticed that his heart beat was skipping some beats.

"Hmm."

"What was that 'hmm?' What does that mean, Donnie?" April asked.

"His heart, it's skipping some beats."

"Will he be okay? Is it something we should be worried about?"

"I'm not sure. It did skip the day he became unconscious."

"Does that mean he's falling under?" April's voice raised in a high-pitch tone.

"Like I said," Donnie sighed, his eyes darting down to the ground. "I'm not sure."

Leonardo was in the living room with them and overheard them, but he was very focused on Raphael- he had been ever since the next day after he was knocked out. He was bummed out and was getting irritated. _'How did Raph do this for 3 months? Man, he's a fighter. C'mon, Leo, you can do this. Do this for your brother. Have a bit of faith and stop being so useless. Get over your problems and just focus on Raph.'_ Leo hadn't talked to anyone at all last night and ever since he woke up this morning. If someone asked him something, he either shook his head no, nodded his head yes, or just shrugged his shoulders.

Michelangelo was leaning against the doorway when Donnie announced what was going on with Raph's heart. He bit on his bottom lip, looked up at the roof and locked his jaw, urging to not let the tears escape. This was a new maneuver Casey had taught him when they were trying to get the chickens out of the shack one day.

_*flashback starts*_

"Ah! Stupid chickens," Casey groaned, waving his hands for them to leave. "You gotta watch your chickens, Mikey."

"It's not like I don't try or anything!" Mikey yelled, covering his mouth with his hands and gasping afterwards. "I-I didn't mean to yell, I-I'm sorry."

All the chickens had scattered out and their clucking went from annoying noises to a distant whisper. Casey closed the shack doors and shoved his hands in his pockets, watching Mikey. Mikey had been acting different lately. First threatening Casey- which was reasonable since Casey had been insulting Leo about his bum leg- but now he was kind of distant. This was his first outburst. Casey walked over to Mikey, who was looking down to the ground and had his back turned to him.

"I-I'm such a wimp," Mikey said, his voice breaking. "I don't wanna cry right now."

"You're not a wimp, dude, you're just more expressive, and that's not bad or anything."

"Well, it makes me a baby."

Casey felt bad for Mikey. He knew Mikey didn't like to cry in front of his brothers because he didn't want to be called names or insulted for doing so. It comes with being sensitive, he supposed. Casey laid his hand on Mikey's shoulder and turned him around, making Mikey face him.

"Well, there is a trick to stop it before it happens."

"I'm listening."

"Well, when I was a kid, there were really mean kids, yanno? Well, duh, we both lived in New York. Anyway, my friend taught me this thing so that I wouldn't bawl my eyes out if some dude tried to make me feel bummed or anything like that. See, look," Casey bit the bottom of his lip and moved his upper lip up so Mikey could see what he was doing. "Then, ya look up at the sun or somethin'- don't do that, just look up," Casey looked up at the roof of the shabby shack. "And you don't gotta do it, but sometimes it helps if ya lock yer jaw. Oh, and ya can blink yer eyes real fast, too."

"Do-does that really work? I mean, you aren't on the verge of bawling right now, dude," Mikey pointed out, sniffling.

"Take it from me, bro, just try it out."

"O-okay," Mikey said, wanting not to cry. He bit the bottom of his lip, looked up, locked his jaw and started quickly blinking his eyes, feeling the tears disappearing. He let out a heavy breath and looked at Casey, kind of smiling out of disbelief. "O-oh my gosh, i-it worked! Thanks, dude!"

_*flashback ends*_

Mikey's tears were soaked away and he looked over to Casey, who was leaning against Raph's chair and was looking at Mikey. Mikey gave a sheepish smile when Casey nodded at him. Mikey walked out and went up to Donnie's room, secluding himself. _'It took Leo 3 months to wake up- what if Raph takes longer? I dunno if I can handle waiting a long time again. I need all my bros._ '

"So, what's the deal right now, Don? Should we worry?" Casey asked.

"Well, if you listened, you'd know I said, **I'M NOT SURE!** " Donnie yelled, irritated.

"Guys, enough!" April yelled, sighing aggravated. "I know we're all worried about Raph, but fighting isn't gonna make him better!"

"Red, you're the one who said that he'd be awake soon," Casey said, looking over at her. "Were you sure?"

"Casey, I always follow my gut, and my gut said that he is getting better and he'll be awake soon."

"You better hope your gut is right," Casey growled, turning to leave. "And you, _**Dumb**_ _atello_ , better hope he wakes up, or I'll give ya what fer."

April sighed and looked down at Raphael, watching his breathing. It was the only thing that had been able to ease her ever since he went unconscious. That and Leonardo's company. Leo hadn't really spoke since the second day and was now down to just using his head and shoulders as communication, but she knew he was just really concerned and he was getting out of it. She was the one that gave him food and water just so he wouldn't go hungry. He wouldn't move for the entire day until everyone was asleep. That's when he'd attend to his business and then he'd go back to watching Raph, bent over on a chair and tapping his foot.

When April was asleep, Leo would check her wounds and see if he needed to apply or re-wrap anything. Her bruises were fading away and some of her cuts were beginning to scar up, but he had to put stuff like Neosporin so it would help heal the cuts that weren't yet getting better. Not that Donnie wasn't checking up on her too- he still attended to her during the day and helped her move around. The day after Raph was knocked out, he thought of making a medicine for Raphael to consume so it would help him heal and wake up, but Leo urged Donnie to reconsider, bringing up the Creep situation. Donnie sighed and agreed, not wanting to make Raph any worse, since Donnie was the one who put him in that state in the first place.

Donatello looked down at Leonardo, who was flickering his eyes over Raph's body, seeing if anything was out of the ordinary. Donnie sighed and walked behind him, arched his arms under Leo's arms, and pulled him off of the chair. Leo tried with all the strength he had to stay on the chair, but Leo hadn't budged in 3 days meanwhile Donnie would use his spare time to spar with Mikey and Casey to let out some frustration the past few days. Leo was lifted from the chair and Donnie started dragging him out, wanting Leo to take a break or just take a moment to breathe outside or something. Leo started fighting back from Donnie's clutches, inching his way towards Raphael. April just sat there and looked away, not wanting to get in between the struggle and wanting to avoid taking anyone's side.

"Leo, this is for your own good," Donnie huffed, pulling Leo closer to him so he couldn't escape. Leo kept struggling and got angry, fighting back more and loosening Donnie's grip, but not enough to escape. He wouldn't speak, only increase fighting back. " _Leo,_ _ **stop!**_ "

Leo slammed his bum leg on Donnie's foot, wincing in pain afterward, but it threw Donnie off a bit. Leo managed to escape one arm and used one of his arms to hold off Donnie's, struggling to get out of Donnie's other arm. Donnie gritted his teeth and wrapped one leg firmly around Leo's legs, immobilizing him. Leo bent forward and knew he could fall down, but he'd do anything just to get back to his chair and watch Raph. Leo kept squirming around in Leo's arms and even threatened to revert to biting Donnie. He kept snapping his jaw towards Donnie's hand, almost out of his clutches. Leo finally fell out of Donnie's grip and was on his way to collide with the floor face down when Donnie quickly grabbed Leo again and picked him up, lifting Leo off of his feet so he could only squirm. Donnie remembered a maneuver that sometimes helped people that had Asperger's syndrome calm down when they had panic attacks.

Donnie hugged Leo tightly, waiting for Leo to stop squirming eventually. When Donnie started hugging him, Leo started yelling and tried any way to budge free, panting heavily. Donnie wouldn't budge and kept hugging him from behind, with Leo still off of his feet.

"You'll struggle at first," Donatello started to explain to Leo in a calm voice. "But you'll eventually calm down. This kind of hugging will slow down your heart rate and your metabolic rate as well as depressing your sympathetic nervous system."

Leo heard what Donnie had said and it all happened just as Donnie had explained it. Leo started to struggle less and less, his body easing a bit. Donnie set Leo down on his feet and slightly eased his tight grip on Leo, feeling Leo's shell dig into his skin. Leo's breathing went from heavy and hard to somewhat less heavy, slow and steady. Leo looked around the room, his eyes landing on Raph's face, then April's eyes. April stared back for a moment but then backed down, looking away from Leo. Leo sighed and closed his eyes, dropping his head down. Donnie reached for Leo's crutch and started dragging Leo out of the farm house, who was now just a limp figure in Donnie's arm. Donnie lifted Leo up as he climbed down the stairs and finally set Leo down onto the tree stump, letting go of him.

Leo didn't move when Donnie settled him onto the stump. He still had his eyes closed and his head tilted down. He gripped onto the rim of the tree stump and let out a nasally heavy breath. Donnie just stood there, waiting for Leo to do something. He just wanted Leo to get out of there for a while and maybe do something other than sit down all day. Leo finally looked up and stared at the moving clouds that were a bit gray. He still smelled the lingering scent of rain in the air, not caring if it rained right then. He looked around the land and finally looked up at Donnie, who was staring down at Leo.

"Leo, I'm only doing this for your own good. You need your vitamin D."

Leo shrugged, biting the inside of one of his cheeks, giving it a puffy look.

"I know it's not a lot since it's been cloudy these past few days, but I want you to get as much as you can get."

Leo nodded in understanding. Donnie huffed.

"Do you wanna move around for a bit? Maybe help Mikey feed the chickens or something?"

Leo didn't nod or shake his head or shrug. He simply sighed and stood up, going over to the shack. Mikey kept the chicken feed in there, which is why they always went in there. As Leo emerged from the shack, the chickens emerged from their distance and surrounded Leo, who was struggling to carry the fresh bag of seeds. Leo stammered a bit, surprised by the sudden emergence and surroundment of the chickens. He used his little blade that he kept in his wrist bandages to open the seed, making the chickens cluck loudly in excitement. He scooped a handful in his hand and scattered it around, watching the chickens peck the food quickly. Leo let out a side smile, a bit amused. He scattered out more chicken feed and let out a raspy giggle, making his way back to the shack. He rolled up the top of the bag and tied a string he found on the ground around it, making sure he secured it enough.

Donnie watched Leo from afar, smiling as he had just saw Leo having a bit of fun feeding chickens. Leo didn't come out of the shack, so Donnie's smile quickly faded and he ran inside the shack. He saw Leo helping Casey out with the engine of the old and battered car, leaning against the shack door frame. Casey told Leo what to pass him and Leo gave it to him, still speaking no words. He even grabbed a skateboard and rolled under the car with Casey, observing what Casey was doing.

While she was alone with Raphael, April took Leonardo's place on the chair and watched over him. She heard some footsteps upstairs, assuming it was Michelangelo pacing around and thinking to himself again. He had been doing that lately. He told her about how he was feeling about history repeating itself in such a short amount of time- both Leonardo and Raphael had been unconscious due to being knocked down hard. He was worried about Raph taking a long time to wake up or even longer than Leo and he didn't know if he could handle that again. April had consoled Mikey the first day after but after that, he asked everyone to let him do his own thing and started to seclude himself and pace around in thought in Donnie's room from time to time.

April hadn't yet adjusted to Raph without his gear or mask on him. The closest she ever got to that was when Donnie was restoring Raph after the Creep situation and she happily placed his mask back on him. But now that he had no gear- she couldn't get comfortable about it. She thought about Raph's lack of water, so she wanted to get him in the tub just like they did with Leo. She called for Mikey but she heard no footsteps coming down the stairs. She grunted and patted Raph's hand, going up the stairs with a bit of a struggle. She opened the door to Donnie's room and saw Mikey staring out the window, watching something. She walked over to him and stood by his side, seeing what Mikey was looking at. Mikey had a little smile on his face.

"I'm glad Leo finally got out," Mikey said, breaking the silence. "He's a natural at feeding chickens."

"Yeah," April smiled, folding her arms behind her back. "Donnie had to force him out, but I'm glad he didn't try to bolt back in."

"I heard," Mikey said, his little happy tone dying down a bit. "I-it was noticeable."

"How are you holding up, Mikey?" April asked, turning to him. "I mean, are you feeling a little better in the least?"

"I mean sure," Mikey said, averting his eyes to April. "I got ways to make me not so blarghy about all of this."

"You're always pacing up here, though."

"Not true," Mikey argued, furrowing his eyes a bit. "Just like 4 times a day."

"Yeah, okay," April said quietly. "Hey, uhm, could you help me lift Raph up here and into the tub? I don't want him to get dehydrated."

"Sure," Mikey sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "History repeating itself."

"He'll be okay, Mikey," April said, grabbing Mikey's hand with both of hers. "He's getting there. We just gotta wait a little."

"That's what we've been doing the whole time ever since we got here," Mikey said, a bit of annoyance in his voice. "That's all we've ever been doing."

"Mikey, I know that," April replied, a bit frustrated. "But this is what we have to deal with. Once we're done waiting, we're gonna take back New York."

"Our home," Mikey mumbled, feeling a bit less negative. "Sorry, April."

"Don't apologize. Just help me get Raph up here."

"Okey dokey," Mikey said, making his way out of the room and down the stairs. "Just meet me halfway up here. I'll go get him."

"Okay," April agreed, waiting in the middle of the stair case. She heard Mikey's grunting and then the emergence of steps. Mikey had Raph on his back, slowly climbing up the stairs. April stepped to the side of the stairs and followed behind Mikey. "I'm not really helping, am I?"

"It's cool, April," Mikey chuckled. "I can handle this. Did ya fill the tub yet?"

"Oh, uhm," April stammered, rushing up the stairs and turning on the water, plugging the drain. It took a while but it finally filled up halfway. Mikey slowly slid Raph off of his shell and into the tub. April cupped Raph's head and set it down gently, just like Raph did with Leo, onto the rim of the tub. Just like she did with Leo, she grabbed a sponge and soaked some water on Raph's head, looking down at him. Mikey sighed and laid his head on Raph's hand that was on the rim, whimpering a bit. He used the trick Casey taught him and sucked it up, wanting Raph to wake up right then.

They sat in there for a while, growing weary and tired of sitting down for such a long time. Mikey yawned and slept on Raph's hand, the one that always slapped him upside the head. Mikey smiled sweetly at the memories, going to sleep. April was dabbing water on Raph's head and heard a faint snore, looking at a sleeping Mikey. She shook him a bit, but he was fast asleep. She yawned a bit, looking into the hallway and saw that some sunshine was glowing from the windows. It was still daylight-sorta. It was still cloudy as well. She rested her head on the sponge on Raph's forehead, looking at Raph's eyes. She rubbed her thumb over his face line and his eyes, hoping that maybe tomorrow he'd wake up. She wanted to go into his mind again but she was so tired, she fell asleep thinking about it.

After a while, Donatello went back into the house, seeing how April and Raphael were doing. He saw that April wasn't in the living room, so he went over to the couch to see how Raph was doing. Raph wasn't there, either. _'Did he finally wake up?'_ Donnie wondered bewilderingly, running around the house in a fit of excitement. He saw no sign of him and heard some water slushing around upstairs. _'April and Mikey put him in the tub,'_ Mikey assumed, sighing. He climbed upstairs and united with April and Mikey, going over to Raph. It was just like Leo's situation all over again, but this time it was his fault for Raph ending up there, not some bad guy. _'Am I a bad guy for doing this to my own brother?'_ He shook away the though, trying to focus on medical stats. He listened to Raph's heart beat and was satisfied that Raph's heart wasn't skipping beats anymore. April and Mikey fell asleep. Donnie lifted Mikey up and carried him to his bed, tucking in his little brother. _'It isn't even 6 and he's knocked out cold,'_ Donnie thought, chuckling. Donnie went back in the bathroom and carried April out and climbed down the stairs, settling her into the couch where Raph had just been on a while ago.

Donnie went back upstairs and sat by Raph, placing his hand on top of Raph's. He tilted his head down onto the rim of the bath, his mouth quivering a bit.

"Uhm, Raph, if you can hear me- I know you can't 'cause you're unconscious- but, if you somehow can, 'cause April said your functions are slowly coming back, uhm, I just- I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I know you didn't mean it now, b-but you know how I get around April. Th-that's probably why you didn't wanna see me just yet," Donnie chuckled sadly. "Anyways, I know now. Leo- he told me that you really didn't want to 'cause you were worried about getting out of control or something like that. I know you only went through with it 'cause April really wanted to learn how to get better. I'm sorry, I apologize, I give you my greatest condolences- I'm really sorry. I know you didn't intend to do it and I should have noted that you were more injured- I mean, for shell's sake, you had _gashes_ , and she didn't... You were pale and you looked like you didn't want to do anything anymore. W-we saw our own father be defeated before our very eyes, we lost our home, we lost New York, and we almost lost Leo, and I know that took a really big toll on you. I'm really sorry, Raph, and I hope that you'll hit me upside the head and we can somehow get past this."

Donnie said no more and sobbed a bit into his brother's hand, grabbing a hold of Raph's firm and strong hand that was now limp. He started to laugh a little at how Raph would probably react to this. He felt a bit better and at ease, rising his head up. He squeezed Raph's hand firmly and headed for the door, looking at Raph one more time. He let out a little side smile and left the bathroom, going downstairs. He drank some water and walked back outside and into the shack. He saw that Leonardo was tinkering around with some of the chemicals in Donnie's little lab area, quickening his pace. He hovered over Leo and watched him swirl around the chemicals in the tubes, placing both of his hands on Leo's shoulders. Casey was still fixing the car but he was taking a break, drinking a can of soda to pep him up. Leo turned his head around a bit and saw Donnie, giving him a little smile and stood up, rolling Donnie's chair over to its rightful beholder. Donnie let out a meek smile and sat down.

"You okay, Leo? You get the breather you needed at least?" Donnie asked, spinning around.

"Yeah," Leo said, his voice deep and husky. He cleared his throat.

"Oh-oh my gosh, y-you said something!" Donnie said happily.

"Yeah, I decided to just start talking again since I'm taking this breather. Thanks, Donnie, I needed this."

"I know, Leo."

"Smart-aleck," Leo sneered playfully.

"Again, I know, Leo," Donnie laughed a bit. "Did you happen to eat or drink anything?"

"Yeah, Casey gave me some soda and some crackers."

"Good. But back to topic, you're welcome. Raph's in the tub now, so, I think you should go up with him."

"Oh, okay, thanks, D," Leo said, giving him a smile and a little side hug before sprinting out. He was surprised that his leg wasn't giving out on him yet, so he ran faster. He stopped in front of the house and let out a happy scream, bolting in the house and rushing up the stairs. He slowly stopped as he approached the room where he woke up from unconsciousness and that would then be the room Raph would wake up in. He gulped a bit and stepped in, his eyes falling on his brother in the tub.

It just hit him like a ton of bricks- it was a horrible feeling, a terrible sight. He felt pain as he trudged into the bathroom, the sunlight behind the clouds shining on Raph's face. Leo turned off the lights since it wasn't really helping light up the room and pulled up the stool close to the tub, slowly sitting down on it. He folded his arms onto the cold, white tub and rested his chin on them, looking down at Raph's face. He watched Raph heal from going from a plant to a mutant turtle again and sat by his side until he woke up. _"Donnie worked all night to save you. Leo never left your side,"_ he remembered April telling Raph. **_"That's what brother's are for."_** Leo smiled at the memory. He rested his cheek on Raph's hand, placing one hand on Raph's head, rubbing his thumb over Raph's forehead. He remembered how happy Raph was when he finally woke up, yelling for everyone to come up.

"Wake up, soon, Raph, 'cause I'm not moving 'til you do. You should see how long I can follow along with that," Leo whispered, falling asleep by his brother's side.

Everyone was still asleep. Casey had fell asleep in the car, Donatello on his lab table, Michelangelo on his bed, April on the couch, and Leonardo on the rim of the tub. Leo's head felt uncomfortable so he stirred, mumbled and crinkled his nose, slowly waking up. He yawned and rubbed the back of his neck, smacking his lips. He saw that his hand was still on Raphael's head, starting to once again brush his thumb over Raph's forehead. He just had to have some sort of contact with Raph to feel a bit at ease, and that was all he had at that moment. Leo looked away from Raph's eyes and just stared into the water, waiting for some sign.

It was dark at first. He stirred a bit, the water swishing a bit along with his movement. His eyes felt heavy but he slowly opened them, adjusting from the darkness to a somewhat brightness. It was a dim light, but enough to make him squint. He looked up at the roof and was a bit confused, not knowing where he was. He felt something lightly brush along his forehead side to side, looking to his left, his eyes falling on the oldest terrapin, Leonardo. He followed Leo's eyesight and saw that it was towards the water. Raph moved one of his fingers, the water moving along with it. Leo's eyes widened a bit. Leo rubbed his eye with his free hand and looked closely this time. Raph let out a little smug smile, moving his finger again. Leo gasped and rose his torso a bit, looking over at Raph's face. Raph smiled tiredly at him, making Leo let out a stupid happy smile.

"I'll-I'll be right back," Leo said in a husky voice, shooting up and running around to wake everyone up. He ran downstairs and into the shack, pushing Donatello off of his chair and pulling Casey out of the car. "G-guys, wake up! Raph! H-he's awake!" Leo boomed, storming out of the shack. "My brother is finally awake!" Leo yelled to the sky, running in the house. He ran over to April and scooped her up and threw her on his back, practically chasing something. The sudden movements woke her up and she was about to ask questions when Leo pushed Mikey off the bed, jumping and giddy with excitement. "Mikey, come on! Raph's awake!"

Leo rushed back in the bathroom, setting April down and gripping onto the rim of the tub for dear life. April let out a happy breath, her eyes slightly tearing up. Raph heard footsteps coming and the faces of Mikey, Donnie and Casey appeared. Mikey jumped next to Leo and hugged Raph's head, just like he did when Leo woke up. Raph smiled sheepishly at his little brother, patting his hand.

"Hey, guys."


	17. Confrontation

"Just stealing my lines, Raph?" Leonardo joked, his lip quivering a bit.

"Eh, well, I oughta had given it a shot. I shoulda just said sup. Way cooler than your dorky lines," Raphael replied in a raspy tone, smiling.

"Let's slip ya outta this water, bro," Michelangelo chirped, looking up at Leo for confirmation. "I mean, should we?"

"We can if Raph's done taking his bath."

"Har har," Raph laughed sarcastically, lifting his arms up. "Get me outta this. My head's not comfy and it's killin' me."

"All right!" Mikey exclaimed, wrapping his arms under Raph's, getting ready to pull him out.

Leo grabbed Raph's legs and together, he and Mikey lifted Raph out of the tub and made their way downstairs. Donatello, April and Casey followed behind, except Donnie stayed upstairs, not sure if he was ready to face Raph just yet. Mikey saw Donnie stop at the stairs and pouted a bit, turning into the living room. Water dripped off of Raph's body and made a trail, which April noticed. Leo and Mikey were about to set Raph on the long couch when April stepped in front of them, stopping them. The 3 turtles gave her a confused look.

"Guys, he's soaking wet. Did you not think about getting the couch wet or maybe people possibly falling on the puddles of water?" April scolded, giving them a stern look. Leo and Mikey glanced an awkward look at each other, shrugging.

"Do whatever it takes for them to set me down on there. Being held like this isn't really fun," Raph groaned, furrowing his eyes as the pain in his head grew. "Just put down a towel or somethin', someone, geez."

"Ease on up, bro," Casey said, grabbing the thin blanket no one liked to use and a towel nearby, laying it over the couch. "'Kay, now put Raph down, dudes."

"What Jonesey said," Raph agreed, gripping tightly onto his head.

"Don't call me that, dude," Casey whined, getting a chuckle out of Raph. "I'll getcha some meds for yer head. Asprin or ibuprofen?"

"Uh," Raph stammered, waving his hand around. "As-asprin, I guess, jus' hurry up."

"Gotcha," Casey called from the kitchen, quickly scourging through the cabinets. He opened the bottle quickly and let 2 fall into his hand, closed it and threw it in the cabinet, filling up a glass of water. He ran back to the living room and handed it to Raph quickly. "Here, bro."

"Thanks," Raph grumbled, placing the pills on his tongue and drinking the water, shuddering as it went down. "Ugh, left it on there too long. The taste is still there."

"Awh, that's the Raph I missed," Mikey churred, hugging Raph once again.

"All right, easy, little brother," Raph winced a bit, but hugged Mikey back. "I wasn't out that long, was I?"

"You were unconscious for 4 days," Leo said lowly, looking down and rubbing his shoulder. "Not long, but you had us worried."

"Why? Wh-what happened?"

"Well, you went pale. I mean, really pale- the palest a green shade could go," April started. She stepped up and sat by Raph, looking at him.

"Then your heart was actin' up," Casey added, leaning against the wall. "At first it was like, real slow and the beating was-"

"It was sporadic," Mikey helped out. "Th-then you-"

"You got cold," Leo said, still looking down. "We closed all the windows and kept the doors shut tight, and we unplugged the AC."

"The second day, Donnie said we should keep ya hydrated somehow, so he said that we should put an IV in ya," Casey said.

"Did he?" Raph asked curiously.

"Well, yeah," April said, looking at his arm. "Well, we tried. We couldn't find a pulse."

"Well, crap," Raph sighed, looking around. "What else?"

"Your heart beat and color kept acting up but yesterday they stayed solid; steady and normal, both of them."

"Wait, so ya just put me in the tub yesterday, then?"

"Yeah. We made you drink water every day for a day but we didn't like the idea of basically force feeding you."

"Uh, okay. Wh-where's Don, by the way?"

"Isn't he ri- whoa, I-I dunno. Lemme go find him," April insisted, walking toward the doors.

"Hey, April?"

"Yeah, Raph?"

"H-how are you holding up? Are you okay now?"

"Y-yeah," April said, giving Raph a reassuring look. "I'm fine."

With that being said, April walked out of the room. She wandered around the rooms downstairs of the house including the basement, went outside and circled the house, looked in the shack, and searched a bit in the woods. _'Why didn't I just check upstairs before I came out here?'_ April asked herself, feeling a bit dumb. She stumbled inside and went upstairs, immediately finding Donnie in his room. _'God, April, sometimes you're so slow,'_ she thought to herself before stepping inside. Donnie heard the floorboard creak and turned around. April sat down next to him, waiting for him to say something, which took a while. Donnie finally inhaled a deep breath, tilting his head down to look at her.

"April, I'm not sure if I should see him."

"Why not? You should finish what you started, Donnie. He asked for you."

"Are you sure? What did he ask?"

"He said, if I recall correctly, 'Where's Don, by the way?' is what he questioned."

"That's _technically_ not asking for me."

"In a way, it is."

"Raph was just asking where I was, April. He didn't ask to see me."

"Donnie, you're kind of being a stubborn ass."

"Wha," Donnie looked down at April, shocked that she cursed towards him. "Well, I'm just pointing it out, is all."

"Donnie, are you serious? You were eager to see Raph awake and now you're avoiding him? I know you're probably thinking he doesn't want to see you, and I don't know if that's true or not, but you need to confront him sometime. You need to make amends."

"I'll do it when I feel it's time, April," Donnie replied, standing up. "Now if you'll kindly leave."

"No, I will not," April said sternly, standing up and inching her face toward Donnie's. "I'm not leaving."

"April, this is probably the only time I'd ever ask you to go, so if you would just please respect my request."

"I am humbly declining."

"April, this isn't funny."

"Who's laughing?"

"April, come on."

"I will only come to join you to sit back down on the bed and help you process your feelings."

"You can't be serious."

"Do I not look serious right now?" She rested her hand on Donnie's shoulder, trying to push him down back onto the bed. "Sit down. I insist."

"N-no, April," Donnie argued, barely moving. "D-don't. Don't do that."

"What, you don't think I can do it?"

"You're capable of doing it, but me and Mikey have been sparring a lot in our spare time."

"Oh, so now you're all macho?"

"Of course not, I'm the most slim out of my brothers. I'm just saying my strength has improved just a bit."

"Well, your strength might be getting better, but you still have weak spots."

"Oh do I now?"

"Of course- everyone does. I know a particular spot of yours."

"I doubt that."

"Okay, you made me do this," with that said, April struck her hand out from her side to Donnie's neck, starting to tickle him.

"A-April, n-stop," Donnie said, squirming his head around a bit. He tilted his chin inward, trying to catch her hand inbetween his cheek and neck and shrugged his shoulders quickly, preventing her other hand from reaching his neck. "April, s-seriously, s-sto-I mean it," Donnie choked, stifling the chuckles that urged to escape his throat. She trailed her index finger over Donnie's Adam's apple, sending shivers throughout his body. His legs weakened and his body felt tingly, his eyes flickering open and closed. "Holy mother of," Donnie churred, his legs starting to give out on him. April let out a giggle as the serious turtle melted into a childish delight, slowly pushing him down. Donnie bit down on his bottom lip as a little smile escaped, surrendering to April and plopping down on the bed.

Donatello was still feeling warm and tingly, going from sitting down to laying down on the bed, curling his toes. He arched his back in delight, letting his giggles escape. April watched Donnie move around the bed in fits of laughter and she couldn't help but to laugh a bit at the sight. Donnie grabbed a pillow and buried his face into it, letting out the loud laughs he was holding in, rolling around the bed. The sensation of the trail over his Adam's apple soon faded along with the rest of the feeling in his body, letting him be able to calm down a bit. His breathing was deep and rapid, his face feeling hot all over. He soon realized that April managed to get him on the bed somehow, his smile fading away. He sat up quickly and looked away from her. April again sat down by Donnie and waited once again. Donnie let the silence linger on for a long time, hoping it would send April away. April instead scooted closer to him and lay her head on Donnie's shoulder.

Donnie took in deep breaths, leaning his head on top of April's. He stared out the window and saw that it only showed signs of clouds and some slight precipitation. April then lay her hand on Donnie's hand, entangling her fingers through his. Donnie felt his cheeks grow warm, clearing his throat a bit. April let out a light chuckle, slipping her hand out of his and turning to him, waiting. Donnie looked down at her and offered a side smile. April raised her finger up teasingly, making Donnie back up a bit, letting out a toothy grin. April let out a giggle and stared into his light brown eyes. Donnie stared back into April's blue eyes, examining the freckles he admired and how soft her face looked in the bask of the sunlight that poured out from behind the clouds.

"Okay," Donnie said quietly, looking away from April. "I'm just afraid. I'm afraid of how he'll react when he sees me and how he'll act towards me. I don't know if he'll be hostile or sympathetic- I just don't know. I don't expect him to be nice to me since I rendered him unconscious, especially during his weakest point. I-I don't know. I don't want to be rejected or despised by my own brother."

"Well, now you know how he felt about you."

"I don't follow."

"That's how he felt when he wondered about confronting you. He was afraid of his own brother hating him for something he didn't mean to do."

"But, I-I meant that. I mean, I think I did."

"Your anger just finally got the best of you, Donnie," April cooed, rubbing her thumb over Donnie's cheek. "You should see him soon. You can't avoid him forever. We've got to stick together when we go to take back New York and find Splinter."

"I don't know," Donnie sighed, slumping his shoulders. "I guess I've walked a whole mile in his shoes. Anger really is a hard thing to control."

"Use what you've learned to make a better experience," April whispered, placing a kiss on his cheek and walking towards the door. "You'll be okay, Donnie. He'll understand. He's your brother."

"Th-thanks, April," Donnie stammered, a little smile on his face. "Really. Thanks."

"I'm always around," April smiled, closing the door. She slowly made her way downstairs, her ankle kind of giving her a hard time. Her bruises were almost gone and her cuts turned to scabs, almost no evidence of injury showing. She really felt better than she did the day she sparred with Raph, but it was all on her. The whole situation was on her. Well, that's what she thought, at least.

 _'The tension with the turtles against Casey, Leo and Casey getting into that late night fight, Raph getting really hurt and having a tantrum and a breakdown in the forest, Donnie knocking Raph out- that's all because I wanted to better my skills to be a better kunoichi. Was it really worth it? And should I even ask Leo to spar against him and Casey later on? Should I just wait 'til we find Splinter to continue my training?'_ All these thoughts popped into April's head, clouding her mind. She forgot she was walking down the stairs and tripped over her foot, falling toward the hard wooden floorboards. Casey was passing by and saw her, his eyes widening. He shot his arms out and caught her, bending down slightly as she fell hard into his arms. His fingers slightly dug into her sides, making sure she wouldn't slip out of his arms and fall. April's eyes met with Casey's dark brown eyes, having no recollection as to how she ended up in this position.

"What," April stammered, confused.

"You were about to land right on your face, Red," Casey said, concerned. "Did you not see yourself falling?"

"No, I was uh," April trailed off, unsure. "I was deep in thought, I guess."

"Well, you gotta be more careful, okay, Red?" Casey said, standing up straight and lifting April up along with him, twirling her a bit. "Red? Hello?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I'll be more careful."

"Red, what's on your mind?" Casey asked, gripping onto her shoulders gently. "You seem outta it."

"Nah, it's just," April trailed off once again, looking down. "C-can we talk in the basement or something?"

"Whatever you want," Casey agreed, lifting the hatch open. He grabbed April's hand, helping her down. After she was on the floor, he jumped down, closing the hatch door. "Okay, do you wanna sit or somethin'?"

"It doesn't matter," April replied.

"So, what's bitin' ya?"

"Well, everything that's happened is kind of my fault- all my fault, actually."

"What do ya mean?" Casey asked, intrigued.

"I mean, you almost hurting Mikey, the dispute between you and Leo-well, you and the turtles basically, then Raph running off in the woods for who knows how long and just having a breakdown, Donnie knocking Raph out and having everyone on edge- we didn't want history to repeat itself and yet it did- I-I don't know. I just- it's all because I wanted to get better on my kunoichi training. I just- I don't think getting better at ninjitsu was worth all of this. Was it? I mean, I don't know, Casey. And I even thought about sparring with you and Leo after this all passed- isn't that just fucking stupid? I mean," April paced around, laughing hysterically at herself. "That's such a stupid thing to think about! I don't want to make things worse!"

"Red, calm down," Casey said, going over to her and turning her to face him. "You really think that?"

"Well, yeah," April said, biting the bottom of her lip nervously. "Do-does that make sense?"

"I get what ya mean, but that's a kinda dumb thing to think. It's obviously not yer fault. You're not the one who made me and Leo argue, that was my stupid loud-ass mouth. I was being a huge douchebag and I deserved having my ass handed to me by Leo- he really got me, and I respect that. We're cool, me and the guys. We're cool now. Raph really didn't wanna hurtcha, and he just needed to cool off and let out his anger and he needed to release all the feelings he bottled up. We all have different ways of releasin' stress, Red. He just needed to let it out- he held it all in fer so long, it was gettin' ta him. And ya both got hurt, remember that. Ya both put a number on each other. You hurtin' him more? That should be a good sign fer ya! Hell, yer gettin' better as a kunoichi! We're both gettin' better as vigilantes, Red! But, ya both got hurt, and now Raph's awake, and we should all be happy. We didn't lose him or nothin', we got him back. This is not your fault. All you wanted to do was get better and you got better! That's nothin' to feel bad about. You didn't threaten Mikey, I did. You didn't insult Leo, I did. You didn't knock Raph out, Don did. Don't blame yerself, Red, okay?"

"Wow, Casey, I, I don't know what to say," April chuckled, surprised by Casey's words and wisdom. "Th-thank you, Casey, that actually helped."

"And you doubted the Jones-meister," Casey grinned. "But seriously, Red, it's not yer fault."

"Thanks for helping me, Casey," April smiled, tucking some strands of her bangs behind her ear. "I don't know how I can repay you."

"Ah, don't sweat it, Re-" Casey froze as April wrapped her arms around Casey tightly, nuzzling her head into his chest.

"Maybe this will repay some of it?" she whispered into his chest.

"Y-yeah," Casey stammered, hugging her back tightly, pulling her closer into his embrace. "I miss my family."

"I miss my dad," April replied, clutching tightly onto his shirt sleeves. "I hope our families are okay."

"Me too," Casey croaked, clearing his throat, not wanting to show signs of crying. "I hope my little sis and my dad are okay."

"Yeah," April agreed, standing there and hugging Casey for the longest.

Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael were catching up in the living room, laughing about Mikey's antics. Raph's ribs bothered him a bit when he laughed, but he pushed through the pain, wanting to enjoy his brothers' company. All that was missing was Donatello.

"So, since you guys were both knocked out at one point," Mikey said nervously, darting his eyes around the room. "How was it- being unconscious?"

"What do you mean?" Leo asked, chuckling a bit.

"I mean, is it just, dark, or do you dream or something?"

"Uh," Raph stammered, thinking about it. "It was just like a long sleep for me. The kind of sleep where you don't have a dream or a nightmare, you're just asleep."

"That's basically it," Leo agreed. "It's just sleeping. Nothing exciting."

"Do you ever feel like you wanna wake up but y-you can't?" Mikey asked, his voice cracking a bit. "L-like, you wanted to follow the path out of the cave but you couldn't find it or something kept getting in your way? I-is that why you dudes didn't wake up so quick?"

Leo and Raph looked at each other uneasily, not knowing how to answer the youngest terrapin's question. Mikey started sniffling and wiping at his eyes, turning his head away from his big brothers. Leo bent over to Mikey and embraced his little in his arms, trying to comfort him. He then lifted Mikey a bit and set him down next to Raph, glancing at Raph and nudging his head to Mikey. Raph widened his eyes at Leo and looked at Mikey uncomfortably, not knowing whether he should hug him or wait for him to cry it out. He sat up slowly and slithered his arms around Mikey, pulling him close. Mikey collapsed into Raph's arms and hugged him tightly, starting to sob. Leo gave Raph a sad yet warm look, rubbing Mikey's shell to comfort him. Raph gave a little smile to Leo and closed his eyes, resting his head on Mikey's soft shoulder.

"It's gonna be okay, little brother, I'm awake now, you got nothin' to worry about right now. Me and Leo, we're okay now. We're both awake, we're gonna get better- we're all gonna get better and when we're ready, we're gonna take back our city- our home. Can you wait a little longer, buddy?" Raph cooed, rubbing circles in Mikey's hand to soothe him just like he did when they were kids. "When we're ready and we're all okay, we're gonna go find Splinter, take out the Kraang and take back our home. Shell, maybe we'll even get Karai back, maybe. She is our sister, kinda, after all. She's Splinter's daughter, and we shoulda believed Leo before. But now, it's okay. Maybe we'll get her back. But right now, let's focus and try to get better and train, okay?" Raph looked up at Leo, who had teared up at the thought of Splinter and Karai, grabbing Leo's hand. "We'll get better, guys."

"Okay," the blue eyed brothers said in unison, nodding their heads.

"Could I interrupt?" Donnie announced nervously, grabbing his brothers' attention. He cleared his throat and gave a meek smile. "May I come in?"

"Get in here, ya dork," Raph smiled warmly, waving his hand over. "Missed ya, Don."

"R-really?" Donnie stuttered happily, walking quickly over to his brothers. "Raph, I-I'm so sorry."

"Shut up and get in here, shell-for-brains," Raph chuckled, knocking Donnie upside the head and pulling him in his embrace. "It's okay. But we're talkin' later."

"Okay, for sure," Donnie agreed, hugging Raph back. Mikey pulled away and gave an awestruck look along with Leo at Donnie and Raph.

Casey and April waltzed into the living room sharing a laugh, stopping as all eyes laid on them. April gave a nervous smile while Casey cleared his throat, darting his eyes around. The turtles furrowed their eyes up at the two teenagers, teasing them with smug looks. Donnie looked over at Casey and even clicked his tongue, making Casey laugh a bit. April strolled over to Raph, seeing if he was okay while Casey went over to Donnie. They talked for a bit and eventually they both walked out together, going into the shack. Mikey and Leo watched Crognard for a bit and then went to go feed the chickens together. Mikey was chased around by the chickens, and Leo couldn't help but to join in his little brothers antics, throwing his arms up and screaming in delight alongside Mikey, chicken feed trailing out of their palms. April and Raph sat in a comfortable silence. April turned to Raph and looked into his green eyes, remembering how they looked in her vision. She chuckled a bit, making Raph smile a bit in confusion.

"What? Got a knuckle print in my face or somethin'?" Raph joked, smiling.

"No, I didn't get ya that bad," April smiled. "But, I guess I did hurt ya pretty bad."

"April, don't sweat it, I'm awake now."

"Yeah, but I mean, I didn't mean to get it that out of hand. I didn't want to give you gashes. Just a couple of bruises and scratches."

"Well, we both beat each other up pretty badly."

"I'm sorry, Raph. I know you didn't want to."

"What'd I say before, April?"

"That it was okay as long as my training got better."

"Well, is it?"

"Well, yeah it is, actually."

"That's all that matters, then. Don't sweat it; you're gettin' there. You're almost a full-blown kunoichi. You should be proud. You're one shell of a vigilante. Casey, too. You guys are getting good."

"Thanks, Raph. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I just feel cold and tired. I guess I'ma trudge around Leo's shoes for a bit. How 'bout you?"

"Well, my bruises are almost gone and my cuts are scarred up."

"Don't pick at 'em," Raph scolded, seeing her scratching at one on her hip. "April, stop it!" Raph laughed, pushing her hand away from her side.

"Fine, fine," April giggled. "Your eyes are kind of dull-looking."

"Whatcha mean?"

"I mean, in the woods, they glowed."

"Did you go after me? I knew Donnie did, but-"

"No. That night, I was asleep and I had a vision of you in the woods. You were punching stuff and screaming and it looked like you had a breakdown. That's why your knuckles were skinned up and why you were kinda cold. It was windy that night and it was a bit colder than the day before. You're a cold-blooded animal, Raph, what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking 'I need to get outta here before I mess things up even more'," Raph said quietly, looking away.

"We were worried sick, Raph."

"Yeah, I could tell," Raph smiled a bit. "You and Leo looked tired."

"You know how we worry," April shrugged. "I worried I made you break."

"I just needed to let out the stuff I bottled up, April. It's okay now."

"Good," April said, rubbing her thumb over Raph's jaw line. "I hope you get better soon."

"You too, April. Why don't ya warm up to spar against Casey?"

"What?" April stammered, her face flushing.

"The wooden floors in this house aren't very thick," Raph grinned, laughing a bit as April darted her eyes around. "Hey, calm down. But, I think it'd be good if you sparred with Leo and Casey. It's up to you. You're getting better every time; plus, you need to go against a cocky vigilante like Jonesey."

"You think so?"

"Do what you want, April. We got your back."

"Thanks, Raph," April smiled, hugging him. She flicked his head on her way out, getting a grunt out of him as she ran out. She decided she would ask Leo if he was up to it and she would definitely go up against a fellow vigilante like herself.


	18. Wrapping the Foils

The night passed by quick for all of them. Raphael was the first to wake up, rubbing his eyes and yawning tiredly. _'God, am I still tired? I just slept for like 10 hours but it feels like I slept like 3 hours instead. Ugh. My head's killing me.'_ Raph sat up and stumbled as he stood up, slugging his way over to the kitchen. He looked around and saw that he was the only one awake, surprised. _'Damn, this is a first.'_ He poured himself a glass of water and shook out 2 pills of ibuprofen, slithering it down his gullet. He shuddered in disgust, quickly drinking the water. He looked down at his body and suddenly realized his gear was off. No wraps, no knee pads or elbow pads, and even his mask was off. He set down the glass and searched the house frantically. He felt... nude. _'Maybe Leo has it; yeah, yeah, he'd have it!'_ He circled the house, finding no trace of him anywhere. He opened the hatch to the basement and climbed down slowly, shivering as the cold air hit him. _'That dork better not have slept down here; it's freezing.'_ His eyes landed immediately on a... fort.

There were four chairs acting as corners, a thick blanket laid out on top of and covering all of the chairs, some sheets on the floor, one pillow sticking out from under a chair, and a green hand laid out of the fort, palm faced down on the floor. Raph contorted a confused look as he heard a snore, bending down on one knee and lifting a part of the blanket up, looking inside. He saw Leonardo curled up behind Michelangelo, but his shell against Mikey's instead of curling into Mikey. Leo was clutching onto his side of the blanket while Mikey's arms and legs were spread out, letting out the snores Raph was hearing. Raph let out a little smug smile, enjoying the sight of his dorky, blue eyed brothers sleeping in forts as if they were kids.

"Childish, right?" a voice bellowed tiredly from above, catching Raph's attention. Raph turned his head and looked up at the hatch door. He had left it open, but who wouldn't. The figure jumped down, and it was none other than the brother who rendered him unconscious, Donatello. Donnie looked up at Raph and gave him a meek and tired smile, standing up but not moving. "They were so loud yesterday. I don't know how you, April or Casey didn't wake up."

"What time did we sleep?"

"You fell asleep around, I think 7 at night. It kind of surprised us all, and Leo was kind of worried, but April told him that you were fine and you just needed rest. Then April fell asleep in my bed and Casey on my chair- and that was around 9, maybe. Leo and Mikey were up until around 4 in the morning, so I suggest you don't wake them. I fell asleep around 6 in the morning in the lab."

"Ah," was all Raph said, peeking in one more time on his brothers, then standing up, staring straight at Donnie.

"So, uhm, you wanted to talk?" Donnie asked, trying to break the ice.

"Yep."

"You, uh, you wanna talk now or later?"

"Now's fine, unless you've got something important to do."

"Uhm, I don't really have anything to do now."

"Well, then, I guess we'll talk," Raph said, folding his arms across his chest.

"You want to talk here?"

"Doesn't matter to me."

"I guess here is fine, let's just not get loud so that we don't wake up Leo and Mikey."

"Understood."

"Heh, uhm," Donnie mumbled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't really know what to say."

"Then I guess we talk later. See you 'round. You should, uh, you should get some sleep, Don."

Raphael walked past Donatello and climbed up, leaving Donnie behind with many questions running through his mind. Raph waltzed upstairs slowly, opening the door slowly to Donnie's room. April was still sleeping soundly, her hair kind of messed up and her ponytail band slipping down her hair. Her head band was on her forehead, which made Raph snicker a bit. He'd never really seen April asleep before but he thought that nonetheless she was pretty. Raph went over to Casey, whose neck was resting on the top of the chair uncomfortably. Raph cringed a bit as he thought about how much it would hurt when Casey would wake up. Sadly, he had to wake Casey up anyways. Raph shook Casey a bit, making Casey suck in a shallow breath and slowly open his eyes.

"Wha-" Casey mumbled, stretching his arms out and yawning. "Raph? What are ya do-"

"Shush, Jonesey," Raph whispered, nudging his head over to April. "C'mon, let's get to it."

"What time is it?" Casey asked, combing his hand through his bed-head hair.

"I dunno, like 8 in the morning, I think."

"8am?! Man, that's early-"

"Do I have to slap you? I really don't want to but gladly will," Raph hissed quietly, slapping his hand over Casey's mouth. "Just shut it 'til we get downstairs."

"Wha-"

"Shut. It."

"Geez, okay."

Raph pressed his hand a bit more on Casey's mouth, both of them tiptoeing out of the room. Casey glanced at April before Raph shut the door, letting his hand fall from Casey's mouth. Raph wiped his hand on his shell in disgust when he discovered that Casey had slobbered on his hand, glaring at Casey. Casey snickered, laughing a bit as he went down the stairs.

"So, are ya sure ya don't wanna wait for Leo to wake up?" Casey asked quietly.

"I would, but he and Mikey stayed up 'til like, 4 in the morning goofing around and whatnot. I don't wanna wake the dude up, he needs all the rest he can get."

"All right, dude. So just out front or what?"

"Eh, the woods oughta do it."

"'Kay then. Let's do it, then."

Casey opened the front door for Raph to step through, following and closing the door behind him. They walked side by side, disappearing into the woods.  
Donatello had been pacing around the basement after Raphael left him there to linger in the silence.

"Should I start it off or should I wait for him? Does he even want to talk or does he want to watch the guilt eat me up? Will I ever get to act myself around my brother or am I doomed to unsteady and awkward silence when I'm around him for the rest of my years? Dare I even try to talk to him? Ugh, I'm so stupid! I should have never punched Raph," Donnie mumbled to himself, waving his arms around as he thought out loud. "Why am I so weird when it comes to April? Why am I so incredibly idiotic when it comes to such simple things? Why did I let my anger get the best of me? Is this how Raph feels like when he does things like this? Oh man, he must have held in so much. I don't deserve him, I don't deserve to be forgiven by him if that's his intentions."

"You should just talk to him, Donnie," a voice of an innocent child called out quietly, a yawn followed. Two light green arms came out from the fort and lifted the blanket up, coming out from the little homemade shelter. Michelangelo rubbed his eyes tiredly but he was determined to help his brother out before he would fall back asleep. He trudged his feet over to Donatello, standing in front of him and giving Donnie his full attention. "You should just tell him how you feel all about this, yanno? It's better than to never talk to him again- that'd be super awkward and sad during missions and when we just hang out. It's better to get it out on the table rather than bottling it up like Raph did. Don't bottle it up, Donnie, just try to talk to him. I know he's kinda being, like, formal around you, but he's just trying to sort out his feelings still, too, I bet."

"But Mikey, what if I do spill all that I'm feeling and he still rejects it?"

"D, you know you'd be mad if he did that to you, too. He knows that you did it outta anger but you usually kinda find a way to not punch someone in the face if you know they didn't mean it. But this time you didn't really hesitate, you just let him have it. That's gonna be a touchy and sensitive subject. I think you really struck a nerve on him. Just make sure you let him know how you feel- don't hold back. Tell him how sorry you are and how you felt when all of it happened and stuff."

"If he forgives me, the guilt is going to eat me up."

"There shouldn't be that much guilt left. You're supposed to pour it all outta ya. Do you want him to forgive you or not?"

"I think I just want to get past all of this, really."

"Don't base it on 'I think,' Donnie. Be sure. Just say all you gotta say and see how it goes, no matter how long it takes. Try to see it in his eyes."

"I see how much anger is a problem for him now, so it kind of clarifies things a little."

"No, not the anger. Try to make out how he's feeling. He's feeling a lot of things but I think betrayal might be a key card in his deck of emotions."

"That was cheesy-"

"Jus- you get it, right? Now go talk to him."

"I can't."

"What's holding you back?"

"He and Casey went into the woods. I think they're training or something."

"Raph just woke up; they're not gonna be training that soon."

"They both are stubborn, though."

"Find them and just try to go along with what they're doing. I'm not asking, I'm telling. Go," Mikey demanded, pushing Donnie towards the steps up to the hatch door. "Climb up and get out of here. I need some more beauty sleep," Mikey yawned, watching his older brother reach the top. "Have a good time."

"Sure thing," Donnie replied hastily, closing the hatch. He swung open the door, slowly stepping out. He looked to his left and his right, then climbed down the porch stairs. He quickened his pace and practically jumped into the woods, looking around for any signs of the two hotheads.

"All right, Jones, wait up," Raph called out, out of breath. "Just give me a minute."

"Raph, you wanted me to push ya, and even though I don't like doin' it, I gotta push ya," Casey replied, hopping back over to Raph on the rocks surfacing from the river. "So, c'mon. Let's cross this river, huh?"

"Casey, believe me, I really wanna cross this stupid long line of water, but my God, my body is weighin' me down. Now I know what Leo's feelin'. Damn, I feel sorry for the dork."

"All right, Raph, we did stretches and you landed some punches and kicks on me. Why don't we just call it for now? Let's go eat and fuel up and maybe we can come back out here with Leo later."

"Fine," Raph sighed, turning around and heading back to the direction of the house. Casey ran beside him and let Raph wrap his arm around Casey's neck for support. "Man, I dunno what I'ma do 'bout the whole me and Donnie thing."

"Are ya pissed off at him?"

"Not really, I just kinda feel, like, back stabbed, I guess."

"Like how?"

"Well, yanno, April beat me pretty good, I ran out in the woods and it was kinda cold, I started usin' the rest of my energy to punch trees and shit, then I kinda broke down, and I just stayed out there for a long time and I just felt exhausted. I didn't really sleep good 'cause I was checkin' up on April and Leo when I got back that day and not even like an hour after I woke up, Donnie put me back to sleep for something he shoulda damn well knew I didn't fucking wanna do and didn't mean to do in the first place. I carried the nerd up to his room when I was so fucking exhausted and struggled to stay awake despite the fact that I knew he was ticked with me and he was probably up waiting for me. I get that he gets real protective when it comes to April, but I thought he'd be better than to take me out for something I didn't want to do and didn't mean to do while I was really weak and tired. I thought he would like yell at me and that we'd eventually work shit out, but I jus- he kinda betrayed me, in a way. He used my weakness as an advantage to his use."

"Well, he's no better than me if he used that against ya for one thing," Casey started, thinking of what else to say. "Another thing is that he kinda knows how hard it is to control anger. He just reacted outta his anger and it happened all so fast and quick that it was something that's kinda like impossible to control. I think ya should just hear him out and see where it goes from there, dude. Do you wanna punch him or something?"

"Nah, that wouldn't make anything better."

"Well, just see where it goes from there. It'll be okay."

"For once, I hope you're right."

Donatello had been going in circles, not really aware of it until he noticed a tree that had some bark chipped off of it that he saw earlier. He groaned in frustration as he realized it. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, waiting to hear some sign of movement. He heart a rustle to his left but the sound of rushing water to his right, assuming that Raphael and Casey went over there. He followed the sound of the water, looking around him and hoping to find his brother. He heard a voice nearby, so he jumped behind a tree, poking his head out a bit to see if anyone was there. He saw a hockey stick and came out from hiding, stepping in front of them slowly.

Raph and Casey stopped in their tracks, staring at Donnie. The three guys gave each other awkward glances, then looked away.

"Well, I better go make myself some food," Casey said timidly, stepping away from the two terrapins. "I'll fix somethin' up for ya, Raph, okay?"

"Sure."

"Do ya want somethin' to eat, Don?"

"No thanks, I'm not hungry right now."

"That's a big 'ol lie. Well, I'll see you two in a bit, maybe?"

"Maybe," Donnie and Raph said in unison, not tearing their gazes away from the others.

"All right then, see ya then, I guess," Casey chuckled awkwardly, jogging away.

Donnie and Raph only stood and stared at each other for a while, neither of them making major movements. Donnie was wiggling his fingers around a bit while Raph rolled his shoulders a bit. Donnie cleared his throat, finally breaking his gaze and looking down to the ground. Raph let out a heavy breath, blinking his eyes rapidly. He awaited Donnie's words.

"Raph, I don't really know what I can say to make you not so... negative... towards me. I'm just going to say what I've been feeling and what I experienced since that day. I was really tired since I spent most of that time when you and April sparred in my little lab area, and after a while, I went upstairs and saw Casey and Mikey talking to each other. I asked them what was going on and they just sort of gave me blank answers, so I went downstairs and saw that Leo was watching some Crognard and I told him I talked to Mikey and Casey. He asked if I wanted to see April and I got really confused because I didn't really think I hinted that I had any intentions on seeing her but when I saw her, I got really mad. Leo explained to me what happened and I got up and went over to the window to see if I could see you. He asked me if I could go look for you and I stormed out with no hesitation 'cause I just really wanted to yell at you or something.

"I couldn't find you so I came back inside, checked in on Casey and Mikey, who were both sleeping in my room, then I paced around a bit and went downstairs and saw that Leo was sleeping but his neck was like, in a really uncomfortable position so I gave him a pillow. It kind of made me forget why I angry but after that I went and started to wait for you to come back, and I just sat down and then next thing I knew I was asleep. I woke up on my bed and was kinda surprised that you carried me to bed 'cause I thought you'd figured out I was mad at you so it kinda made me relax but I was still mad. After you bumped into me, all my other feelings washed away and all my anger took over, and, well, you know what happened.

"After that, Leo started yelling at me and I got kind of mad 'cause he wasn't looking from my view and I was feeling all tough and crap. He actually cussed at me and told me to get lost or something. Leo pushed me into the wall and went downstairs to set you down on the couch and Mikey and Casey helped him out. I was still feeling smug until I saw April, and then I kind of got scared. I didn't want her to hate me. She started telling me what Leo told me but a longer version and she even cussed me out a bit. She snapped some sense into me and after she went to go watch after you, I secluded myself in my room and started to sort out my feelings. After some time, April came in the room and talked to me but calmly this time. She told me that if anyone was to blame it was her, and I strongly disagree, and she didn't want to be mad at me for the rest of her life. I thanked her and grabbed some of my medical stuff.

"I went downstairs and I checked up on you for the first time. Casey and I were fighting over heating pads and then April grabbed them, and we kept arguing. He was all like, 'your shell is mine' and crap. He was really pissed at me, and I don't blame him. He was telling me that if you didn't come out like the Raph he's come to know that he'd basically destroy me because you're his best friend and he told me how shitty it was of me to do something like I did, which I was very aware of. I felt like everyone was against me, and it was kind of lonely for a bit. The next day, I offered to put in an IV so you could be hydrated and we all agreed but we couldn't find a distinctive pulse, which made me feel really bad. We didn't really like it but we forced water down your throat for hydration. I kept on checking on you 'cause your heart and skin color decided to play games on us. But it eventually decided we had enough.

"Casey and I kept arguing, Mikey was getting distant, Leo wouldn't talk to any of us and wouldn't move from his spot he made so he could always watch you, and April was the only one who was really normal about the situation. She fed Leo 'cause he refused to move at all, even for bathroom reasons, and it really upset me. I made everyone on edge and I made everyone just get so negative. I dragged Leo out of the room, which was really hard. Eventually I did and he fed the chickens and started goofing around with them, which kind of made me feel less worse. Then Leo went and helped Casey out with the car. It was good to see Leo actually doing stuff- he wasn't talking to anyone and he barely got sleep. After a while I went back in the house and I saw that you weren't on the couch, so I kind of got excited and thought you were awake, but I saw that you were in the tub, and immediately I got upset again. I started apologizing to you and I cried a little and then I told Leo you were in the tub.

"I guess you woke up 'cause Leo came and woke up me and Casey- he pushed me out of my chair and told me to get up 'cause you were awake. Me and Casey looked at each other and we ran behind Leo. Leo pushed Mikey off of the bed and carried April on his back and then we all ran in there and we all felt happy and relieved. I looked down at you and I just felt the guilt coming back. So when they went to carry you back down there, I stayed up 'cause I wasn't sure if you really wanted to see me yet and I just wanted to do anything that would make you feel better. April came up and told me I should see you 'cause now I know what it's like in your shoes. April left and I just kind of lingered there, waiting until I felt somewhat confident enough to face you. I was glad I went down there, 'cause I really just wanted to hug you, and when I got to, I just," Donnie sniffled, his voice breaking.

"I just felt better. I thought that there was actually hope that we could get past this. I know I'm not really telling you my feelings, but Mikey said I should just say what I need to say. I know how hard anger is to control now. I need to control it when it comes to being protective. I regret it so much, Raph. I swear, I would take it back. My anger just finally got the best of me, and it all happened so quick and blindly. I'm really sorry, Raph. It was a stupid and shitty thing for me to do, especially when you were at your weakest point emotionally and physically. I don't know what I would do without you. I know we get at each other's throats a lot, but it wouldn't be the same if you weren't doing it anymore. You've been through a lot and anger is something that consumes your life that you're learning to control. I just want us to somehow get past this and go back to wrestling and calling each other names and stuff. I'm really sorry."

Raphael looked at his brother, surprised by how much he had said. Donnie fell down on his knees, looking down to the ground. Raph sighed and walked over to Donnie, bending down in front of him. He laid his hand on his young brother's shoulder, getting his attention. Raph gave Donnie a sympathetic and an understanding look, grabbing Donnie by the shoulders.

"I'm sorry you had to learn how hard it is to control your anger the hard way. I'm not really mad at you, I just kind of feel like you back stabbed me for taking advantage of me. That's no better than that Jonesey the vigilante. I know you're better than that, but I understand that it just finally got to ya. I get it, Don. I just need to know if you meant it."

"At that moment, I did, but after a while, I instantly regretted it. So I don't know. Did I?"

"No. You didn't. You wouldn't be here rambling on to me about how it was for you these past few days. You wouldn't feel this bad and you wouldn't be tearing up right in front of me right now," Raph said in a soothing voice, wiping Donnie's tears away. "You didn't mean it, Donnie. It's okay."

"Y-you're really not mad at me, Raph?" Donnie asked, his lip quivering. "You're not going to beat me up right here right now?"

"No, Donnie. You're investing in me and that would be a douchey thing to do. I'm controlling my anger and it's not even here now. I just want you to know that we're gonna get past this. We're gonna get through this and in like an hour, I'm gonna bop you upside the head just like you want me to. I can't hate you, Don, your annoying smart talk grew on me. And, it's always turtles first. You know that. Remember that. I'm always going to be there for you and I'm always going to protect you. Nothing in the world would make me stop caring about you. Now, let's go see what Jones is making for us."

"Okay," Donnie smiled, helping Raph up on his feet. "So, are you feeling better?"

"Eh, I know what Leo's going through. Bro's really tough- having to deal with this for a long time. It ain't easy, I'll tell ya what."

"I bet it's not. I hope he's not awake. He really needs the sleep."

"Yeah, he looked like crap when I woke up," Raph laughed, elbowing Donnie. "All of ya did, actually, but he looked the worst. Not in a bad way, he just looked like he wanted to pass out. I wonder what the shell he and Mikey were doing that made them build that fort."

"Well, he and Mikey didn't really talk since they were both being distant. April and Casey told them that they needed to comfort each other and just like that, we all heard them making so much noise down in the basement. Kind of glad they got each other out of their funk."

"Yeah. God, I feel kinda bad for makin' everyone act so different."

"Ah, it wasn't your fault, exactly."

"Yeah, well. Mikey asked me and Leo the saddest question ever. He asked us while we were unconscious that if we wanted to wake up but if something was holding us back which is why we took so long. It literally hurt to hear that. Maybe you know?"

"I wish I did, but I haven't been in your place. I can't really say what it's like. I just suspect it's a long sleep and maybe you'd get some dreams, but I personally don't know. I don't think it's in my place to answer that. Casey, what did you make for us?" Donnie asked, a bit surprised he and Raph were all ready at the house.

"I made you guys some cereal," Casey smiled, holding out the two bowls of frosted flakes. "Bon appetit!"

"Nice one, Jones," Raph snickered, grabbing a bowl. "Real classy."

"What? I didn't say I would cook or anythin," Casey replied with a smug look. "What about you, Don? No compliments to the chef?" Casey puckered his lips, getting a laugh out of Raph.

"In your dreams, Jones," Donnie fake gagged, grabbing his bowl. Donnie looked at his older brother who was awake and joking around, happy that he had followed Mikey and April's advice. He was glad that the problem was finally past.


	19. Sparring with Casey

Some hours had passed. It was about 3 in the afternoon and everyone had awoken except for the two blue eyed brothers in the basement.

Michelangelo kept stirring around in his sleep and moving his limbs around, disturbing his big brother's slumber. Mikey got a bit cold, tugging on the blanket he and Leonardo were sharing. Mikey pulled the blanket away from Leo, taking it all for himself and smiling as he gained warmth. Leo reached out for the blanket and tugged at it a bit, but Mikey had all ready tucked all of it under him, leaving nothing for Leo. Leo slowly rose and sat up, rubbing his eyes and then his arms, trying to warm himself up. He looked down at his little brother, who looked happy and comfy, and grunted a bit. He was a tad upset that he was awake since he wanted to sleep some more, but instead of trying to get some blanket and going back to sleep, he crawled out of the fort he and Mikey made and grabbed his crutch, slowly standing up.

He made his way out and emerged from the basement, poking his head in the living room to see if anyone was in there. No sign of anyone occurred, so he made his way to his chair and sat down, getting warmth from the fire. He bent over a bit and reached his hands out to the fire a bit, moving them side to side. The warmth surfaced on the palms of his hands and went up his arms, giving him a tingling sensation and spread the warmth all over his body. A smile spread across his face as he savored the warmth. He heard some footsteps coming toward him, so he turned his head to see who was coming.

"Cold, bro?" Raphael asked, a little smile on his face as he walked over to his big brother.

"Nah, I just want to overheat," Leo replied sarcastically, smiling back. "Did you go out yet?"

"Yeah, I went out to get back on my feet with Casey, but I couldn't really do it, so we said we'd wait on ya. Are you up for it? Why are you awake?"

"Well, Mikey decided to steal the blanket from me and hog it for himself. And yeah, I'm up to help you back on your feet. You helped me, and I wanna help you."

"Are you sure? Do you not want to, oh I don't know, _eat_ first?" Raph snickered, nudging his head to the kitchen. "You need to pay attention to yourself too, bro. April and Donnie told me how much "sleep" you got while I was knocked out. You need to catch up on your sleep and eat- April had to feed you, and I'm not gonna let you push aside your health just so you can help me out. I can't lose ya again, Lame-o-nardo."

"Okay, Raph," Leo said, a bit taken aback by how firm and serious Raph was. "Did you guys cook or anything?"

"Well, not really. Casey made me and Don some cereal and April just had some eggs and juice."

"Well, then I'll just make myself some plantains again. And some for Mikey. What time is it, 10 in the morning or something?"

"10?" Raph questioned, laughing loudly. Leo gave him a confused look, very puzzled. "Dude, it's 3 in the afternoon!"

"What? I slept 11 hours?!"

"Dude, yeah! You need more sleep, but oh man, that's so cute; _'10 in the morning'_ , oh my God! Let's go make you those banana things," Raph laughed, pulling Leo up on his feet and walking with him in the kitchen.

"What's so funny?" April asked, coming in from outside.

"Leo here thought it was morning time," Raph smiled, wiping a tear away. "It was so good."

"Awh, that's adorable," April smiled smugly, joining with Raph as she saw Leo pout and give off a little angry look. "Are you guys gonna go nature it up?"

"What?" Leo asked. "I'ma help Raph get back on his feet-"

" _After_ you eat, dork," Raph hissed, giving Leo a look. "After you eat those fried bananas or whatever."

"I know that," Leo said in an innocent voice, smiling hastily at Raph. "Geez, Raph, I'm gonna eat."

"Uh huh," Raph mumbled, tightening his lips and looking away from Leo.

"Awh, c'mon, don't get mad at me, babe," Leo teased, wrapping his arm around Raph's shoulders and pulling him close. "You know you can't stay mad at the one you love!"

"True," Raph replied, looking back at Leo. "But I can sure smack you down to the ground in a heartbeat, _babe_ ," he smirked. "Want that to happen?"

"Oh ho ho, I know what I want to happen," Leo smirked back, brushing his finger on the back of Raph's neck. Raph cringed and froze, his eyes dilating. "Are you sure you wanna threaten me again, Raph?" Leo whispered, trying to contain his laughter.

"Eeeeee," was all Raph let out, trying not to freak out. "I swear, Leo, I will get you when I'm up and at it. Stop it; I know there's not a roach on me!"

"Fine, fine," Leo stopped, pulling his hand away and letting out his hearty laughter.

Raphael glared at Leonardo as he laughed, slapping him upside the head. April laughed and stepped between them, pushing them away from each other.

"Okay, enough, guys. Leo, just make yourself some cereal so you two can get out of here."

"Fine, okay," Leo smiled, going over to the fridge.

"Whatever," Raph huffed, a little smile on his face. "I'll be outside with Don and Casey."

"Okay," April replied, watching Raph walk out. She rubbed the back of her neck, nervous to speak. "So, uh, Leo."

"What's up?" Leo asked, pulling what milk was left out of the fridge, squinting at the small amount. "Did Donnie drink the milk again?"

"You know how he loves his milk," April said, going over to the cabinets. She opened one of them and pulled out a pouch of Poptarts, handing it to Leo. "Anyways."

"Oh yeah, what's on your mind?" Leo asked, opening the pouch and biting into the blueberry pastry.

"Uhm, so I'm sparring with Casey, 'cause I feel like I'm okay enough to get back to sparring."

"Okay," Leo replied, waiting to hear the rest.

"So, I was wondering, if, uhm- I was wondering if, uh, _we_ could spar, maybe?" April asked, a nervous smile immediately appearing.

Leonardo stopped mid-bite, pulling the pastry away from his lips and looking at April, speechless. He didn't actually know if he wanted to spar with her. He was really worried about his leg, but then again, her sparring sessions were like real battles, and in a battle, one opponent's weakness is an advantage to the other opponent. Leo looked down to the back of his bum leg, letting out a heavy breath. He really wanted to help April out with her kunoichi training in any way he could, and sparring with her was obviously the way he could. _'Don't worry about your leg, Leo. All that matters is that April gets the training she asked for. This isn't about you.'_

"I don't see why not," Leo finally said, looking at her. "Yeah, we can do that."

"Really?" April asked, a bit excited. "Are you sure? It's up to you, Leo- if you really don't want to, we don't have to."

"I want to help you out in any way I can, April. Any ninja knows that one's weakness can be another's advantage. I don't care if I get hurt, I just want to help you to be a better kunoichi. You're improving so fast. Splinter would be really proud of you."

April let out a small smile, lunging towards Leo and wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him in close. Leo was surprised for a moment but immediately embraced her, wrapping his arms around her torso and hugging her back tightly. He was worried about her sides possibly still being tender, so he loosened his grip a bit, enjoying the moment. He really enjoyed his moments with April, he felt like he could go to her about anything with no worries. He was glad they've gotten closer. April nuzzled her head into Leo's neck a bit, happy that she had such a great friend like Leo. She was happy to get to know him so well. She slowly pulled away, smiling at Leo once again. Leo smiled back warmly.

"Well, what are we standing around for? Let's get you ready to spar with Casey."

"What, now? You and Raph are gonna go out in the woods for a while, aren't you?"

"Why not ask Raph if you can come? He wouldn't mind."

"Really? You think he wouldn't mind?" April asked, a bit excited. She thought about this until the thought of Raph and Leo having some time alone together came to mind. They really need their time together. They've been through a lot. April gave Leo a smile. "Actually, I think I'm going to train with Mikey. He's been wanting to practice with me for a while."

"Are you sure? I mean, Casey might come along with us, it's not entirely just me and Raph."

"Absolutely. You two kids have fun," April teased, giving Leo a light punch on the shoulder. "You need it."

"No doubt," Leo smiled, heading out the door. He jogged over to Raph on his own, grabbing his arm. "Hey, let's go."

"Not without this," Raphael replied, raising his arm and revealing Leo's wooden crutch. Leo narrowed his eyes and sighed, a bit agitated. "It's just in case, Leo."

"Yeah, yeah," Leo shrugged. "Let's get you up and runnin', Raph."

"Hey, I ain't a machine, so don't talk to me like I am one. I don't wanna have the mental image of Donnie head over heels for me," Raph chuckled, shuddering sarcastically.

"Hey!" Donnie yelled, overhearing. "I'd have to have really low standards if I liked you, Raph."

"Uh huh, okay," Raph laughed. "Hey Casey, ya comin'? Ya gotta get mentally ready for April to beat ya down in the dirt."

"Nah, it's cool, bro," Casey replied, shoving his hands in his shirt pocket. "You and Leo get on."

"You sure, dude? You can come if ya want."

"I'm good, Raph, don't worry your shell off or anything."

"Okay," Raph said, turning towards the trees. "C'mon, Leo, we better make it quick before the two vigilantes beats the other in the dirt."

"Alright. Bye, guys, we'll try to hurry," Leo waved, a little smile on his face as he and his brother stepped into the woods.

April, Casey and Donatello all watched as the two older terrapins disappeared into the woods. Donnie looked at Casey and April, who were standing by each other, and made his way in the house. Donnie drank the rest of the milk that he left in the fridge, letting out a relieved breath as he finished. He then went into the basement to see if Michelangelo was awake. He wanted to thank his little brother for the advice. He looked at the fort that Leo and Mikey made and saw that the chairs were tilting inward, threatening to cave in and fall down on Mikey. Donnie gasped a bit, quickly running over to Mikey and pulling him out by his feet, watching the fort collapse. Mikey jumped a bit and woke up, his eyes falling on the fort.

"Awh, no, bro," Mikey whined, getting on his hands and knees. "My little home- it-it's,"

"No more," Donnie finished for him, placing his hand on Mikey's shoulder as a comforting gesture. "It was about to fall on you. I didn't wanna risk moving something and having it all falling on you. We don't need anyone else unconscious."

"Speaking of that, did you talk to Raph?" Mikey asked, standing up while rubbing his eyes.

"Well, yeah."

"And?"

"It went better than I expected. But I know karma's coming for me."

"Well, bro," Mikey said, wrapping his arm around Donnie's shell. "You deserve it."

"Thanks, Sherlock," Donnie said sarcastically, shoving Mikey away. "No, but uh, thanks for the advice. It really helped."

"Hey, like a turtle do, Don," Mikey smiled, yawning and patting Donnie on the head. "Like a turtle do."

"C'mon, sleepy head, let's go outside to help the vigilantes train to spar against each other."

"Awh, fine, but this guy needs something to eat."

"Well then, Chef, eat something."

"Mm, nah, I'll just eat a poptart or something."

"C'mon, Red, we're just practicin'," Casey said. "We're not legit fighting."

"Yeah, but then I'll know all your moves and I won't really learn anything, Casey. I need to learn something from each session," April crossed her arms. "I'm saying no."

"Ugh, fine," Casey said, throwing his arms up in defeat. "I'll just beat on some scrap metal or something."

"Why waste your energy on trash when you can spend time with an awesome guy like me?" Mikey yelled from the house, smugly walking up to Casey. "C'mon. We gotta get ya ready, bro."

"Now that's more like it," Casey smiled, smacking Mikey on the back. "Let's do it!"

"Actually, I want Donnie and Casey against each other," April spoke, stopping everyone in their tracks. Casey turned to April with a confused look on his face, Donnie looked at her with a face that looked a bit offended yet indifference in it, and Mikey looked stunned. "What?"

"Uh, why?" Casey asked, a bit of offense in his face.

"Because one, you both use wood as your main weapon, and two, you haven't really ever trained together. That changes now."

"April, I am way too good of a ninja to go up against him," Donnie countered.

"Yeah, I don't wanna waste my breath on this stick master," Casey replied. "I can knock him out in a second!"

"Oh ho, you really think so, Jones?" Donnie hissed, stepping up to Casey. "I am way more experienced and trained than you are!"

"That doesn't make you better!" Casey growled, bumping chests with Donatello.

"Uhm, actually, Casey, it does!" Donnie yelled, whipping out his bo staff from the sleeve on his belt. "Let's see who's better."

"If you're that desperate for a beat down, it'll be my pleasure to give it to ya," Casey laughed, pulling out his hockey stick from behind him.

"While you two do that, me and Mikey are gonna just go over there," April said, grabbing Mikey by the wrist and pulling him to the shack with her.

Leonardo and Raphael both struggled to cross the creek, but both did their best to help one another. Raph was constantly tripping over the rocks and losing his balance being that he was very weak while Leo's crutch kept slipping off the rocks. The other side of the creek seemed like such a long way to Raph. His legs were going weak and his breathing was heavy. His sight was a bit blurry. Leo looked up at Raph as he successfully jumped to the other rock, a big and confident smile on his face that soon faded away as he looked at his little brother. Leo's eyes furrowed as Raph bent down and tried to catch his breath. He stepped off of the rock and trudged through the water, going over to Raph and placing a supportive hand on his brother's shell.

"Raph, we can take a break if you want. Don't push yourself too hard. It'll just make it worse," Leo said softly.

"No, I-I need to keep going, Leo," Raph panted. "I gotta at least cross this creek and back and I'll be good today."

"Raph, I know you wanna get better, but pushing yourself to the limit isn't good for you, it just makes it harder. Take it easy, please-"

"Leo, no! I've gotta cross this _**damn**_ creek!"

" _Please_ , Raph," Leo whispered, looking at Raph sadly. "Please. I know you really wanna do this, and I will help you cross it, but I need you to take it easy."

"Leo-"

" _Please_."

"Leo, I know this is hard on ya, but c'mon, for once, just please try to not make it about your leg, oka-"

"Wait, you think I'm telling you to slow down because of me? That's fucking stupid!"

"Leo," Raph said, stunned as Leo raised his voice.

"Raph, I'm here to help you, not me. I'm doing this for you. I'm telling you to take it easy because I damn well know how hard it is on you right now. I know how far away it seems, I know how much your legs hurt and how heavy they feel. I know that keeping your balance is the hardest thing to do right now, I know breathing hurts and that you feel like you're not getting enough air. I know your sides are aching and I know the hell of the pounding in your head. That's why I'm telling you, Raph, fucking take, it, easy, for damn sake, please. I know that my leg makes a situation go from something to all about me and I fucking hate it. I don't want the attention, but because of my stupid damn leg, it just happens. I try my best to keep it in so that I don't ruin the fun for you guys but sometimes I just can't help it. I really try. I'm telling you to cross this damn creek but you need to fucking be careful and make sure you're okay. Now, c'mon, grab my hand. I'm helping you."

Raphael looked startled, but gently lay his hand on Leonardo's palm. Leo grasped it firmly and took a step in the water, looking at Raph and waiting for him to make a move. Raph sighed and moved a bit on the rock, preparing to take a big step to the next one. He raised his foot out and slowly leaned toward the rock, clutching on Leo's hand tightly. He stepped on the rock, surprised. He let out a little goofy smile, looking down at Leo. Leo smiled encouragingly, nodding. Raph let go of Leo's hand and brought his other leg on the rock, waving his hands around a bit as he lost his footing a bit, but quickly regained it.

"Leo, I-I did it! I actually got to the other rock!" Raph shouted with glee, looking at Leo with an open smile. "I can't believe it!"

"You did it, Raph. Now, we still got a bit of rocks to go. We're gonna show this creek who's boss."

"Bros, you're back!" Michelangelo yelped, running over to his older brothers, who emerged from the woods. Mikey pulled them in their embrace. "Oh, man, how was it?"

"It was cool," Raphael replied, a little smile on his face. "I really needed it."

"Why do you guys feel... wet?" Mikey asked, wiping the droplets of water off of him.

"Well, we kinda, uh, had a little fall," Leo replied, chuckling nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It was nothing, really."

"Whatever you say, dude," Mikey shrugged. "C'mon, we're gonna watch April and Casey!"

"Finally," Raph said. "Come on, fearless, let's find a spot."

"I told you not call me that," Leo mumbled under his breath, walking beside Raph. Raph laughed, nudging Leo with his elbow.

"C'mon, D," Mikey said to Donatello. "Look, bro, I'm sorry I kept you from owning Casey, but it was training, and you looked like you wanted to make him eat dirt."

"Wasn't that the goal?" Donnie asked smugly, walking and sitting down with Mikey. "Either way, he's ready to spar against April."

April and Casey stood distant of each other, giving each other challenging looks. Casey pulled up his hood and pulled down his ski mask, a confident chuckle escaping his lips. April found a comfortable footing and gave a smug grin to Casey, furrowing her eyebrows. The wind blew the bangs from her eyes, making the chance of her fierce ocean blue eyes to pierce into Casey's dirt brown eyes.

"Goongala!" Casey yelled at the top of his lungs, lunging towards April. His fists flew in the air, their target: April O'Neil. She swiftly stepped out of the way, avoiding his blows. He grunted, deciding to use kicks to at least hit her. He kicked the back of her leg, making her stumble a bit, but she quickly regained her stance. After what seemed like hours of just avoiding his blows, April decided it was time for her to try. She threw out her fist, hitting Casey's hockey mask. It pressed onto his skin, making him hiss a bit. "Oh, now you're askin' fer it, O'Neil."

"Gimme your best shot. Unless, that's what you've been doing this whole time."

Casey put on his big, brown glove on, the taser not activated. April was a bit stunned. She pulled out her tessen just in case. Casey laughed menacingly, realizing that April was a bit uneasy from the sight of the taser. April narrowed her eyes at him. As Casey flung his gloved hand toward her, she threw her tessen at him. It didn't hit him at all, making Casey think that he had a bigger chance of winning than she had. But, she smiled at him, putting her hands on her hips. Casey contorted a confused look under his mask, lifting it up and turning around to see what she was smiling about. Before he could pull down his mask for protection, her tessen curved with the wind and hit Casey on the cheek, leaving a cut and sending him down.

"Whoa, hold up," Casey groaned, holding his cheek with his bare hand. "What was that?"

"It was an attack," April said as if it was obvious, giving him a dumb look.

"Yeah, but why?"

"Because you were on the brink of attacking me? Casey, this is sparring! What did you want me to do? Cringe in fear or something?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Are you gonna get up and try to attack or are we done here?"

"I dunno. What'ya prefer?"

"Doesn't matter- I'll win either way. I'm a way better vigilante than you are."

"Hah, you think so," Casey replied, standing up. "Let's go mano y mano."

"Mano a mano," Donatello corrected.

"Whatever man. No weapons."

"Casey, this is supposed to be like a real battle. An opponent isn't going to make the rules of the fight," April sighed. "Thought you were a rebel."

"Fine, whatever you want, Red," Casey said, once again pulling down his mask. "Gotta say, this cut stings."

"Don't worry, I'll give you a world of hurt compared to that," April smiled, raising her fists. "Let's do this."

April lunged forward and hit Casey on his chest, making him stumble. He swept his leg under hers, making her fall. She quickly wrapped her legs around his ankles and twisted her hips, making him fall down hard. He then pressed his foot against hers and pushed her back, the blades of the grass making little cuts and making her itchy. She jumped up on her feet before Casey could kick her. His fists going full speed targeted on her, April bent her arms and held up her arms, blocking his blows, just like Splinter taught her. He got frustrated, so he used all of his energy and had one fist ready to hit her in the stomach. She caught his hand and wrapped her hand around his balled fist, giving him a grin before she kicked him behind his knees and hit him in the chest, watching him fall.

Donatello and Michelangelo leaped up from their spots, shouting in glee as they ran over to April, congratulating her. Leonardo grabbed onto the tree stump beside him and slowly rose, offering a hand to Raphael. He grabbed Leo's hand and onto Leo's shoulder, gripping on tightly and slowly standing up. Leo wrapped his arm around Raph's shell as Raph slithered his arm around Leo's neck, both of them approaching the two teenagers. Mikey helped Casey up as Donnie mocked and laughed at him, a scolding April behind him. Raph patted Leo on the shoulder as to tell him he could let go, giving Leo's worried face a reassuring nod. Leo smiled a bit and let go, using his wooden crutch to go over to April while Raph slowly walked over to Casey, joining in with Donnie.

"April, what you did back there, that was really great," Leo said softly, laying his hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks, Leo. I wish Splinter would've seen how well I've progressed," April sighed.

"When we get him back, he'll see how better you've gotten. He'll be proud of you."

"Yeah," April smiled. "I hope so."

"I know he will, April. I'm proud of you, too. You're really stepping up. By the time we get back home, you'll almost be a full kunoichi."

"Thanks, Leo," April smiled bashfully. "Let's go inside and eat."

"Eat what? You mean like, dinner?"

"Yeah, I mean we haven't really had a real dinner together."

"I mean, if you get the guys to agree, I guess we'll eat dinner."

"Awesome!" April exclaimed, running to Casey and the other turtles. Leonardo crossed his arms on his chest, a small and warm smile on his face as his chest filled with pride towards his team. His brothers, his friends. He even felt a bit proud of himself. He felt that he was slowly starting to step up as the leader he once was.


	20. Dinner

" _Dinner?_ " Casey, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo said in unison, giving the almost full-on kunoichi a weird look.

"You heard me; dinner," April said firmly, crossing her arms on her chest.

"Uh, I dunno, April, I kinda like just getting my food and going wherever after," Raph said, rubbing his chin.

"Yeah, I still gotta work on the car," Casey joined in.

"I have to work on chemicals," Donnie intervened.

"If I don't train with Leo later, I don't really see why we don't have dinner, guys," Mikey chirped, standing by April's side. "I mean, she's right, dudes. We should at least have one dinner together before we go back and try to get back our home."

"Yeah, guys, Mikey's exactly right. We're here in the woods trying to get back on our feet and get ready to take back New York, but this an opportunity to eat together before we get back to business. Please, guys," April pursed out her bottom lip, giving them the puppy eyes. She grasped her hands together and leaned forward to impact the effect. Donnie, Casey and Raph all looked around awkwardly, thinking it over.

"I don't see why not," Donnie finally said, looking at Mikey and April. The two freckled teens gleamed, smiling happily. "I'm in."

"I guess eating together ain't so bad. Sure, Red, dinner sounds cool," Casey replied, getting a bigger smile from April.

"Whatever, man," Raph shrugged, a little smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he saw his little brother and April jump up and down. They all ran inside, leaving Raph behind. He strolled over to the tree stump and put one foot on top of it, staring into the orange and blue sky, watching the sun starting to set. He pulled out the picture of Spike he took with him before he left New York, sighing in reminiscence. He was so caught up in the moment that he yelped a bit as Leonardo wrapped his arm around Raph's neck. Leo let out a little chuckle, smiling and watching the sun set with Raph.

"So, dinner, huh?" Leo asked.

"Eh, it wouldn't hurt. We all need it, I guess," Raph replied, trying to hide the picture of Spike by pressing it onto his leg away from Leo.

"Guess you're right about that," Leo agreed, his attention caught by Raph's fidgeting hand. He saw a part of the picture with the head of Spike. Leo let out a deep breath, focusing back on the sun. "So, how do you think everyone back home is doing?"

"Obviously they're all in trouble. They're not safe there. Not even the mutants."

"I hope Leatherhead is okay. Mikey's worried sick about him. Spike, too- I mean, Slash. I know he meant a lot to you."

"Yeah," Raph sighed, looking down. "But I got you bros and Casey and April. I'm okay with that, even though you all are dorks."

"Like you aren't," Leo teased, nudging Raph with his elbow. "How are you holding up, Raph?"

"I'm just really hungry and tired. How 'bout you?"

"My leg fine for now."

"Nah, I mean, yanno, feelings-wise."

"I don't follow, Raph."

"I mean, who do you miss right now? Besides Sensei, obviously. We all miss him."

"I mean," Leo rubbed his neck with the arm resting on the crutch. "Yanno, Karai. I hope she's okay. I hope she hasn't been captured or, or kil-" Leo choked up. "I hope she hasn't lost her mind."

"We'll get her back somehow, bro," Raph reassured Leo, patting him on the shell. "Don't worry. Let's go inside, yeah?"

"Yeah, okay," Leo nodded, letting Raph walk in front of him. Leo and Raph entered the house and looked into the kitchen, seeing it was empty. "The heck are the rest of the dorks?"

"In here, bros!" Mikey replied from the living room. "Who said we were gonna eat in there? What a couple of nutheads!"

"Oh, 'nuthead,' huh? Where'd you get that from, a squirrel?" Raph yelled, about to barge in and go for Mikey, but he winced, almost falling over if it wasn't for Leo catching him before he could.

"Raph, please, take it easy," Leo whispered. "Remember? We both said we'd take care of ourselves while we looked out for each other."

"Yeah, I know," Raph grunted quietly, walking into the living room with Leo's aid. "It just sucks," Raph whispered.

"I know," Leo sighed, just taking notice that his bum leg felt a bit weak. "I know. Let's sit down."

"What are we eating?" Raph asked, sitting on the long couch with Leo. "Please let it not be eggs."

"Well, I made cookies for dessert!" Mikey chirped. "I can't wait 'til we finish dinner!"

"Red cooked some soup, some rice and some mashed potatoes," Casey replied, licking his lips as he looked at the delicious platter in front of him.

"Fawning over another inanimate object, Jones?" Donnie smirked, laughing to himself.

"Now now, guys," April scolded. "I hope you guys like it."

"Uh, guys, should we like, uh, pray or something? I don't really know- do we just eat?" Mikey asked, rubbing the back of his head nervously. It'd been such a long time since they've had dinner.

"How about we just think about the ones back home? Like, a moment of silence," Leo offered. It's the best they could do.

"Sure, let's do that," Casey agreed. "Do we hold hands? I ain't tryna hold hands with a fart-brain."

"Casey, lay off on the insults on Mikey," Raph said seriously, trying to hold in his smile.

"He was talking about Donnie, Raph!" Mikey yelled defensively, sticking his tongue out.

"Guys, c'mon now," Leo smiled. "Let's just think about them, then we can eat."

So they all closed their eyes and thought about those who were left back at home. Casey thought about where his father and his little sister could possibly be, hoping that they were at least somehow safe and unharmed. He wishes he could have seen them before he left New York City.

April thought about her once-again mutated father, Kirby, hoping that somehow he wasn't being mind controlled like the rest of the New Yorkers and wasn't hurt. She wished he could have avoided the mutagen shot at him. But she promised to herself that she would do whatever she could to get Kirby back, mutant or not. She also thought about the well-beings of the citizens of New York, hoping they were safe.

The four turtles all thought about their father, their teacher, their master- Splinter. Donatello slumped his shoulders as he reminisced Splinter falling down the strong, swirling water. Raphael clenched his fists tightly, his mind pounding as he reimaged Shredder's face. He wanted so badly to push him down the sewer before he pushed Splinter. Michelangelo frowned, his lips quivering. He sighed very quietly as he remembered that he was the one to calm down the very angry red-banded terrapin, a little smile on his face. He was proud that he had comforted Raph at a very traumatic time. Leonardo- he relived memories of all the training sessions, all the talks, all the encouragements, all the 'job well done's' that Splinter told him throughout the years. A sad smile pursed on his face as he inhaled a deep breath, opening his eyes and exhaling. It was seconds after that everyone else opened their eyes, all of them gazing at one another. Leo slapped his hands on his thighs, smiling at his family.

"Let's dig in, guys."

"That," Raphael panted, patting his stomach. "Was delicious."

"It really was," Leonardo agreed, sighing satisfied. "Thanks, April."

"Yeah, thanks, April!" Mikey replied, giving April a side hug. "I hope you guys made room for dessert!"

"I could go for some sweets," Casey shot up, rubbing his hands together. "Lemme have at 'em, Mikey!"

"Mikey," Donatello intervened. "Along with the cookies, how about you make us some of those s'mores again?"

"Ooh, yeah!" Leo jumped up. "Please, Mikey?" He grasped his hands together and brought it to his chest.

"You really should, Mikey," Raph pleaded, smiling at Mikey innocently.

"Dang, they must be good," April smiled. "I wanna taste."

"Okay, fine, since you guys are begging, which I will accept," Mikey smiled, standing up. "I'll make them in a jiffy."

"Yeeesssss," Raph said under his breath. "So, Lameonardo, should we watch TV or head to bed or something?"

"I ain't yo dad," Leo replied humbly, smiling as Raph looked away defeated. "Not worthy of being so," he whispered to himself so low, no one heard him.

"Seriously, though."

"Well, we can all do our own thing while Mikey makes the s'mores," Leo shrugged. "Like, maybe Casey can wipe off the rice on his face."

"Nah, that's just his regular messy look," Donnie said smugly, laughing as Casey growled.

"Yeah, let's do that," April said quickly, rushing her way upstairs. She held it in for too long.

"I'ma go practice my sweet moves," Casey said, heading out of the house. "Comin', Armpit?"

"Sure, I guess you're that desperate to get beaten down," Donnie replied, jogging behind Casey.

"What 'bout you, Leo?" Raph asked, tilting his head to the side a bit to look at his older brother. "Just gonna be a couch potato?"

"Yeah," Leo shrugged again, grabbing the remote and clicking the TV on. His knee was slowly locking up and it was causing a world of pain, but he managed to not show any sign of discomfort. "I'm already half way at becoming a pro at it, anyways."

"Your leg okay?" Raph asked. "You slammed your hands on your legs pretty hard. Don't lie. I'll know."

"It's just my knee that's acting up, that's it. Don't worry. You?"

"My chest feels real heavy. Like breathing is kinda hard, I guess? It hurts my sides."

"I wish I could help, but I'm no brainiac. When I get those, I usually find something to grab onto really tightly or I just breathe really fast and I feel it wear off slowly."

"I'll try the first thing. The second one sounds pain-writhing. What are we gonna watch? Crognard?"

"Not without me!" Mikey yelled from the kitchen. "Don't you dare, Leo!"

"I'm not, Mikey!" Leo yelled back. "We can play a video game really quick? Maybe I'll actually beat you."

"You're on, fearless," Raph smirked, grabbing a controller from the floor and plugging in the system. He threw the other controller on Leo's lap, a challenging look on his face. "Player 1 or 2?"

"Either or. I'm still gonna beat you."

"As if," Raph laughed, starting the game.

"Your stick has better skills than you, dork!" Casey yelled as his hockey stick and Donnie's bow staff collided, their faces right in front of each other's.

"Says the one who can barely call himself a vigilante!" Donatello snapped back, using all his strength to push Casey back, watching him fall to the ground. He twirled his staff and straightened it out, the end with the blade grazing the tip of Casey's nose. "Better your posture. Make sure your arms aren't really bent- it gives the opportunity for someone to have the upper hand."

"Yeah, whatever," Casey mumbled, pushing himself up. Donnie offered a hand to help, but Casey pretended not to see the gesture. "Let's just go again."

"What's up your skirt?" Donnie asked, sliding his bow in the sleeve on the back of his belt and putting his hands on his hips.

"Nothin' that concerns you."

"Obviously the problem involves me by that tone. What's your deal?"

"I think you should lay off April."

"She's my _best friend_ , no way. You can't just enforce random rules and expect me to listen to you, Jones."

"Look at the facts- she's a human, I'm a human- you're a mutant."

"So mutants and humans can't be friends? April would oppose. Whatever's making you act like a douche- you should control it. You can't make me stop hanging out with my best friend. We were all having a good time. I was having fun messing around with you during dinner and I was actually having fun training with you right now. But of course, you ruined it. I'm gonna go back inside. You should too when you're done acting like a baby."

Donatello stormed away from Casey and slowed his pace, taking in deep breaths and calming down, not wanting to create tension in the household when everything was finally getting better. He opened the door and inhaled the sweet smell of cookies and s'mores, his mouth watering. He rubbed his hands together. April was at the top of the stairs giggling at the fawning Donnie below, catching Donnie's attention. He smiled nervously, strolling in the living room. He bumped into the wall, making April's smile grow wide as he chuckled bashfully and entered the living room. Her cheeks hurt a bit from the smiling. She couldn't help it. She was having such a good time.

"Is everyone in there?" Michelangelo asked loudly.

"Jonesy isn't here yet," Raphael replied. "But more for me!"

"I'll save him some," Mikey said, entering the living room with a tray full of s'mores and cookies in his hands. "Other than that, bon appetit!"

"Oh my gahh," Leo moaned as the warm sensation of melted chocolate, soft, gooey marshmallow and the crunchiness of graham crackers spread throughout his mouth. He got shivers down his spine, a goofy smile on his face. "This is so good."

"Definitely," Donnie cooed as the softness of the cookies and the small splashes of chocolate made his taste buds tingle. "I swear, every time Mikey makes something, it's better than the last time."

"Mm, got any more, little brother?" Raph asked, hoping for a 'yes' from Mikey.

"You know it, bro!" Mikey replied happily. "I gave some cookies to Ice Cream Kitty, so there's not as much. But there is still a lot."

"Oh my god, Mikey," April gasped as the sweets swelled throughout her. "This is delicious, it's amazing, oh my gosh!"

"I knew you'd like it!" Mikey smiled, eating a s'more. "I'm gonna go give Casey his plate."

"That's okay, just give it to me now," Casey replied from the front door, his hands out. "Please, chef."

"Here you go," Mikey said, giving Casey 4 cookies and 2 s'mores. "Hope you like 'em!"

"Dude," Casey said, his mouth full. "This is awesome. You should make these more often."

"We don't wanna get into habit of it- we'll get outta shape," Raph retorted. "Although it is a good way to go."

"Don't say that," Mikey said, narrowing his eyes. "Grab what you can, I'm gonna put the rest in the fridge. Maybe I'll make brownies next time."

" **PLEASE!** " The rest said in unison, laughing after.

"Okay!" Mikey yelled back, humming his way back into the kitchen.

"Good night, Raph," April yawned giving him a gentle hug. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't be, April, it wasn't your fault," Raphael groaned. "You know it isn't."

"I know, but I feel bad, Raph."

"Just get some shut-eye and beat Casey here and there. It'll get a laugh outta me."

"Will do," April smiled. "Night, Leo. Let's talk about it tomorrow."

"Night, kunoichi," Leonardo yawned, giving April a sleepy smile. "Night, Mikey, Night Don. Don't stay up too long, okay? Especially you, Donatello."

"No promises," Donnie smiled, making his way to the shack. "Night, guys."

"Say night to Jonesy for us, Don," Raph called out before he stretched out his arms and yawned loudly. "Man, I don't wanna get up from this couch. It's so comfy."

"You don't have to," Leo said, slowly getting up so Raph could lay out on the couch. "I'll sleep in the other chair, no problem."

"Are you sure? You don't have to watch me sleep like a creep."

"You don't have to rhyme. But yeah, I'm sure. You know how I am."

"Unfortunately," Raph said sarcastically wrapping his arms under his head and smacking his lips as he closed his eyes. He quickly fell asleep, his snoring a bit loud.

Leo laid a blanket out on Raph and patted Raph's arm, sitting down and wrapping himself in the blanket as he watched the news. It was the only other thing on at 10 at night. He was glad that they all just had a normal day with no incidents, no hassles- just quality time together. They all needed it. April was sound asleep on the bed in Donnie's room, Michelangelo was already asleep in the little fort he made in Donnie's room, Raph was sleeping soundly and his breathing was normal, Donnie and Casey were both in the shack working on their things, and Leo had a smile on his face, his eyes closing and his mind preparing for the next day.


	21. Leonardo's Preparation

The sound of swishing blades along with the crisp, cool blowing air around him soothed the leader's nerves. He swayed the katanas around, the wind playing with the tails of his blue mask, then slowly dangling it over his shoulder. His eyes closed and his focus on the sounds, he heard leaves rattle from their trees and the rustling of bushes. Sliding his foot forward a bit and digging his toes into the soft earth, he exhaled a deep breath. It was warm outside but wet. There was fog surrounding him due to the heavy rainfall during the night. He lifted one hand in the air lazily and wriggled his fingers in the fog as if he could feel the moisture on the tips of his fingers.

Leonardo Hamato was enjoying the leftover moisture left by the night storm. He loved the smell of rain, the feeling of moisture on his skin, how it calmed him down and made his problems seem so little. Rain calmed the young warrior's nerves almost immediately. The gentle wind gladly assisted. He slid his katanas in the slots on his belt and slowly sat down in the dew of the grass. He tilted his head back as if the heavy fog was a comfortable pillow, arching his legs toward his torso and his hands laid out on the fresh wet blades of earth. A unknown sound came from around him, but he wasn't worried. By the trudging and dragging sounds of the steps on the moist grass approaching him, he knew he was safe.

"What are you doing, Leo?" The turtle asked, rubbing his eyes while he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Good morning, Donatello," Leonardo breathed out happily, his eyes still closed. "Stiff neck again?"

"Yeah," Donnie chuckled tiredly, yawning. "You know how I sleep in there."

"You should sleep in your room tonight. You need a break from your experiments for one day. If not, you'll tense up a lot and you'll be in a world of pain sooner or later."

"I don't think it'd compare to your pain, Leo, I think I'm okay."

"Take a break, Don, you deserve it."

"Okay, you're usually not this wise without having a joke or a laugh in it for this long. What's up with you this morning?"

"I just feel at peace with myself. Everything's alright at the moment."

"How so? Look at all of the pain we've sustained- emotionally, physically and mentally."

"Don't try to ruin my peaceful moment with the universe, Don. You should try it out. The moisture just soothes me and calms me down."

"I don't wanna get dirty, thanks."

"Well, I'm not giving you a choice," Leo grabbed firmly onto Donnie's wrist and pulled him down to the ground, an "oomph!" coming from Donnie as he landed on his bottom. "Just do what I'm doi-"

"How did you know where to grab me when your eyes are closed?" Donatello asked, stunned.

"Just do what I'm doing. You can think of this scientifically somehow. Like, 'oh the H2O feels amazing on my skin cells, the first layer of protection for my anatomy' or something like that."

"How did you obtain that knowled-"

"Just do it," Leo said in a hushed voice, letting out his deep breath. "Maybe it'll help you."

Donatello looked at Leonardo hesitantly, his lip pursed up to the left corner of his mouth. He looked down at the slightly tall grass and stared at the gleaming water on the blades of grass, slowly sliding his hands over it. The water trickled over his calloused fingers and palms and the grass tickled his hands, easing his hesitance. He slowly tilted his head back to avoid major pain from his stiff neck and sighed, closing his eyes. The damp fog, the moisture filling the sunrisen sky, the water on his hands- it weirdly eased him. His hands slid back too far and he fell back on his shell, at first thinking of sitting back up, but then wrapped his arms under his head, smiling and looking up at the fog. He barely could see the white clouds floating in the sky, remembering that they were also made up of water. Water was such an important element in life.

"You feel it?" Leo asked quietly, sensing Donnie's calming vibes.

"I strangely feel it," Donnie replied. "When did you start this? How did you discover this wonderous feeling?"

"I sometimes let out all my worries and fears before, during or after it rains. The smells, the feelings, the weightlessness- it just helped me."

"What are you worrying about?"

"Sparring with April."

"What? Why?"

"I'm paranoid about possibly my leg getting hurt. I know that it would help her and that a rule of a warrior is to use any advantages possible but I just don't want to have all of this progression and have it collapse from helping her out. But on the other hand, as long as it helped her, it wouldn't matter, but it still would, you kno- I mean, it's really confusing."

"What's your biggest priority? Helping her or healing?"

"Both, Donnie."

"You know she won't aim for your injury that quick. Your negative thoughts are clouding your mind. Kunoichi training comes with risks. Do you think you can handle the risk of her striking your leg?"

"I know I am, I'm just afraid that I'll get bumped all the way back down to barely being able to stand."

"Leo, you've healed marvelously. The worst case is that you limp a lot for a day or two. She won't strike that bad. She's aware of it."

"I know, Donnie. This injury is just so physically draining. But, I'm ready to help April. But today doesn't seem like the day. I don't want one of us slipping and falling down 'cause it's so wet out here."

"You could say that mother nature ha-"

"Donnie!" Leo laughed, finally opening his eyes and pushing Donnie. Donnie pressed his arm against his face and laughed, pushing Leo's arm away. "You wanna keep doing this for a while?"

"Sure, it's awful pretty out here. What time is it?"

"Sunsets usually happen around 6:30 in the morning, so I'ma say about 6:50ish. I came out here when it started coming up."

"Why'd you wake up so early? What woke you up?"

"I don't know. I was waking up and I just felt like doing this so I got up and just did it."

"You're weird, Leo."

"It's something I've embraced, Donnie."

* * *

"I think I'm going to take a nap," Donnie whispered, yawning and stretching his arms out. "I don't know why I woke up so early and now it's like, 8am. I need some more sleep."

"Take your time," Leo shrugged, waving his hand over to the chair he slept in last night. "I'm gonna try to find things to do."

"Why don't you make yourself some toast or something?"

"Maybe. I'm gonna get some milk. I haven't had any in a while. All Raph's been giving me is water."

"Don't drink all of it," Donnie whined. "I love milk."

"I noticed," Leo smiled tiredly. "You should have a tab for milk."

"Psht," Donnie smiled. "I'll see ya when I wake up."

"Have a good nap," Leo said, watching Donnie trudge into the living room.

* * *

Standing in front of the sink with his hand laid out on the edge of it and his fingers curled in, Leonardo proceeded to drink his fresh cup of coffee he made himself as he stared outside the window. The fog was still heavy and the clouds were a light shade of gray, sounds of light thunder threatening to bring more rain later on. It was only 9:24am. Leo set down his cup and took a bite from his toast topped with cream cheese. He heard light footsteps emerge from behind him.

"Morning, Mikey," Leo said in a soft, quiet tone, turning around to see a slouching young turtle entering. "You okay?"

"I'm so tired," Mikey yawned, his voice cracking as it did when he woke up from a deep sleep.

"Why are you awake, then?" Leo asked, sipping his coffee.

"I couldn't stay asleep, dude," Mikey groaned, stumbling toward Leo. "Can I have some?"

"I was outside for a long time, I might get sick. I'll make you some," Leo set down his cup and grabbed a clean one from the cupboard. He handed Mikey the fresh pot of coffee to hold for a moment and grabbed the cup in his other hand, taking the coffee away from the youngest terrapin and pouring some. "You want some sugar and creamer or just how it is?"

"Hit me up with some sugar and creamer, bro. I can't stand it how it is; it's bitter to me."

"Alright," Leo chuckled. "Hazelnut, original or vanilla?"

"Hazelnut," Mikey smiled. "And 3 spoons of sugar, please?"

"Tryna wake up so soon, are ya?"

"I don't wanna be awake and wanting to sleep and not being able to."

"I see your point," Leo turned to Mikey, stirring the ingredients. "Here you go."

"Thank you bro," Mikey said longingly, drinking his coffee and letting out occasional 'ahh's. "What are you up for?"

"Just couldn't go to sleep after I woke up."

"You look tired, dude. Maybe you should catch some z's. You look like one of those guys that wake up way too early and use coffee to stay awake."

"A new look I've aimed for," Leo said sarcastically. "I don't know. I don't feel that tired. Just bored, really."

"We should prank them!" Mikey whispered excitedly. "Pleeeasssee!"

"Shh sh sh," Leo urged, pressing his finger to his lips. "Okay, we can."

"Wait, are you serious?" Mikey asked, surprised. "You actually wanna prank with me?"

"Why not?" Leo asked slowly, shrugging. "Let's do it."

"I don't know what's got you so happy, but it's making me happy," Mikey chirped, hugging Leo tightly. "Okay, let's go!"

* * *

With whipped cream on his large, calloused hand, Raphael wasn't aware of what Michelangelo and Leonardo were up to. Leo pressed both of his hands over his mouth, trying not to wake up his sleeping brother with his laughter as Mikey brushed his finger over Raph's nose line, making Raph scrunch up his nose. Mikey smiled and choked down his laughter, proceeding to brush his finger along Raph's face when suddenly a jolt of pain and a heavy pressure fell on his finger, seeing that Raph had one of his hands wrapped tightly around his finger.

"Ow!" Mikey yelped, making Leo jump back and losing control of his laughter.

"Here comes the," Raph stated tiredly with a bit of joy in his face, slapping the whipped-cream filled hand onto Mikey's face.

"Hey!" Mikey yelled, wiping the cream off of his face. "Awh, now my cute face is sticky!"

"You deserved it, tryna prank me, shoot," Raphael smiled smugly, slowly sitting up and laughing quietly as he watched his younger brother run to a nearby sink. "Woah, Leo, you were in on it? What's got into ya?"

"I just feel good today," Leo smiled, shrugging. "Pranking is fun to watch, I tried so hard not to laugh."

"Yeah, well, you've got it comin, big brother," Raph said with a challenging smile. "I'm surprised you're up so early. You usually sleep in."

"I know, it's weird," Leo said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You want some coffee?"

"Ooh, hit me with the strong stuff," Raph laughed, nodding. "Yeah, sounds good. Help me up?"

"Why, it would be an honor," Leo laughed, bowing down in a gentleman stance.

"I ain't no princess; that's Don," Raph huffed, grabbing onto Leo's upper arm as Leo reached down to help him.

"True, but it's fun to tease you. Want your coffee as it is or with-"

"Vanilla creamer and 3 scoops."

"Yeah," Leo sighed. "Shoulda known."

"Use that brain of yours, Leo," Raph teased, poking Leo's head.

"Psht, you love me," Leo retorted, smirking at Raph but shortly after breaking into laughter. "I'm gonna- oh my god, lemme make your coffee."

"Hop along," Raph smiled, rubbing his face with one hand. "Nah, but, why are you awake so early?"

"This isn't early; 5:42am was early."

"Leo, what the shell were you awake that early for?" Raph asked sternly. "You need all the sleep you can get!"

"I know," Leo halted, raising his hands up to try to calm his brother. "Raphael, I just couldn't go back to sleep. I woke up, wanted to do something, and-"

"You did the rain thing?"

"You know about that?"

"I went after ya when you went topside by yourself after it rained sometimes to see what you were up to. To make sure you were alright. But, yeah?"

"Yeah, I did."

"What's crawling up your shell?"

"Just sparring to help April. But, I got it now. It's fine."

"Ya sure?"

"For sure. Here, Batman," Leo teased, handing Raph his coffee.

"Thanks, Fearless," Raph said back, sipping his coffee. "C'mon. Why don't we do the rain thing while we practice our footing or something?"

"Sure," Leo said, a bit of enthusiasm escaping his lips. "L-let's go, then."

* * *

"Leo," April called out from the porch. "You out here?"

Leonardo waved his hand in the fog as a response, not wanting to break the silence.

"Okay, I wanna talk to you after you and Raph are done being nerds," April called out from the house.

"Psht, we ain't ner-"

"Shh," Leo hushed Raphael. "Sync them."

As Leo swayed his katanas through the fog, Raph waved and twirled his sais slowly in sync with the older terrapin. They both breathed slowly and deeply, used different footing every move they made, and made different battle stances along with their footing. It put less tension in Raph's pained limbs and calmed both of them down. The moisture was helping them as they both gained a huge necessity of water for their path to recovery, making it easier to slowly move faster. They were in almost complete blissful attitude.

"Yo, dudes, what are ya doing?" Casey interrupted the silence, breaking the sync. Raph and Leo groaned, knowing it'd take a long time to gain it back.

"Nothing now," Raph groaned, twirling his sais and shoving them in his belt.

"What's up, Casey? Sleep alright?" Leo asked, putting his katanas back in his belt.

"I slept on the mechanics creeper, so kinda stiffed up back. What about you dudes?"

"I slept like a rock 'til this genius and baby genius decided to try to prank me," Raph replied.

"I woke up really early, but slept fine."

"Leo, you usually sleep in for a long time, bro," Casey said, confused.

"I know. I was like 'whhaaa' too," Raph chuckled. "C'mon, Jones, let's make some toast or something. I'm hungry."

"That's what I'm talking about," Casey agreed, strolling with Raph toward the house.

"Hey, Leo, you comin or what?" Raph asked, looking back.

"I'll be a while," Leo waved off, nodding at Raph reassuringly.

"Okay."

With Raph and Casey going in the house, April came out to talk to Leo. She slowly approached him, her hands behind her back. She had her hair down and didn't bother to put on her headband yet. She sat down next to Leo, who was staring into the foggy woods. She let out a little yawn and rested her head on Leo's shoulder. Leo smiled softly and looked at April.

"Woah, April, you look different," Leo said, surprised. "You look great."

"I doubt it, I just woke up," April laughed. "But thanks. Can we talk?"

"Sure. What about?"

"Leo, are you sure you wanna spar with me? You really don't have to if you don't want to."

"I thought it over, April. I wanna help you. The risk is worth it. Sure, I'm afraid, but I want you to get better at being a kunoichi. You're almost there."

"I promise I won't immediately go for your leg. That'd be a douchey thing for me to do."

"I know, Don already told me. Hey, wanna do this rain thing with me?"

"What's that?"

"Lemme show you," Leo said, turning a bit. "Trust me."

"Okay," April said, a bit sheepish. "I'm not going to get hurt, am I?"

"No," Leo smiled, slowly reaching down for April's arms. "Not at all."

She watched Leo gently grab her hands and put them behind her, her hands moving a bit as the grass lightly poked her hands. She raised her head from Leo's shoulder and gave Leo a confused look, to which he gave her a reassuring smile. He then reached for her legs, slowly sliding his hands under her knees and dragging them up to bend. She held her breath as she watched the leader's calloused hands reach for her neck, biting the inside of her cheek. He slowly tilted her head back, her hair dangling down along with her tilted head. Leo looked into April's eyes and smiled, brushing his fingers over her eyes to close them. Then he backed away.

April felt the moisture get to her, what a calming sensation it was and how relaxed it made her feel. She dug her nails into the dirt, a little smile growing. The smile grew and her freckled cheeks perked up as she raised one hand into the fog and waved it around slowly, giggling at the thought of grabbing the water in the air. She brushed the bangs out of her face and sighed.

"Are you feeling it?" Leo asked quietly.

"I'm feeling it, Leo," April smiled, her light blue eyes locking with Leo's bold blue eyes immediately. "I'm feeling it."


	22. Stakes Are High

Donatello looked out the window, watching Leonardo and April sitting in the extreme moisture outside. Through all the thick fog, Donnie could still see April perfectly, her back arched, her hair flowing down, her welcoming smile complimenting all her beautiful features. It was if she was the bright, iridescent rainbow that glowed after such a day like today. He grazed his fingertips down the condensated window, wishing he could go out there and join them- well, April, mostly. She sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees, talking to Leo. Donnie smiled warmly as April laughed. Leo's gaze stopped at the window and caught Donnie's eye, but played it off and looked back at April. Leo then started to stand up, making Donnie jump back panic-like. He didn't want to be caught. He leaped for the couch and jumped over, looking for something to make it look like he was doing something else. He grabbed a game controller quickly and tried to normalize his breathing as he heard the door open.

"Anyone in here?" Leo called out as he stepped in.

"Over here," Donnie answered.

"Hey, where are the rest of the guys?"

"Raph and Casey are in the basement doing stuff, and Mikey- I think he went to play with the chickens."

"Oh, okay. What are you doing besides trying to cover up that you were looking at April?" Leo asked, a smug smile on his face.

"Wh-what? I did no such thing," Donnie stammered, his face flushing.

"Just get out there, Don. She said she's gonna be out there for a while. She really likes the rain thing. Plus this is probably the only time you'd get to see her with her hair down and stuff up close."

"F-fine, but I wasn't watching her," Donnie mumbled.

"Whatever floats your boat, Don." Leo patted Donnie on the shoulder, plopping down on the couch. "Nice cover, though."

Donnie mumbled incoherently as he stumbled out the door, slowly making his way to April. He tried to keep in his laugh as the grass tickled his feet, but he soon coughed from holding it in so long. April's eyes shot open as Donnie started tearing up from coughing so violently.

"Woah, Donnie, are you okay?" April asked, rushing to his side. "What's wrong?"

"I-" He tried to explain but the breath of air was so sharp it only made it worse. He bent down and put his hands on his knees, his chest hurting.

"I'm gonna get you some water," April announced as she rushed inside. She came back out with some of the water sliding down the cup and splattering over her hand, but she wanted Donnie to get better as soon as possible. "Here. Drink up." She handed him the water, tilting his chin up so he could drink it properly. He drank it so quickly that he got the hiccups, making April giggle.

"It's not- funny," Donnie whined, his interrupting hiccups only making April smile wider and giggle more.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop," April smiled, humming laughs. "Okey dokey. Were you choking or something?"

"The grass tickled my feet, so, uh, I tried not to interrupt you, but I couldn't keep it in any longer, so," Donnie shrugged, a defeated smile on his face.

"Awh, what a man," April cooed smugly. "Wanna join me?"

"Ehehe, I mean, i-if you don't mind," Donnie chuckled bashfully.

"So, do you think I'm ready to spar against Leo?" April asked as she started to sit back down along with Donnie.

"You've got what it takes; you're ready. You've learned things, you've gotten better."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm probably just overthinking this whole thing."

"Well, they don't call me a genius for nothing," Donnie smiled. "But, it'll be fine, April. Just stick to the training and all will be well."

"Thanks, Donnie," April replied, laying her head on Donnie's shoulder. "For always being there for me."

"It's no problem," Donnie smiled, his voice cracking a bit. "I'll always be here for you."

* * *

"Leo? Hey, wake up, dude!" Michelangelo's voice lingered. "Leeeeooooo~"

"Wha," Leo mumbled, smacking his dry lips. "Mm, I'm not..."

"You're not wha?" Mikey questioned. "C'mon, dude, wakey wakey!"

"Mm, I'm coming, don't start without me." Leo waved his hand airily, slowly falling back asleep.

"Knock it off, Mikey!" Raphael hissed, slapping Mikey upside the head. "Let him take a rest."

"Mm, I don't wanna take a test," Leo whined tiredly.

"Let's get outta here, dudes," Casey whispered. "Let's go mess around in the woods or somethin'."

"Wait," Leo yawned, grabbing onto Mikey's wrist. "What time is it?"

"It's, like, I dunno," Mikey shrugged. "Sorry if I woke ya, you can go back to sleep."

"You shouldn't of tried in the first place," Raph growled, raising his fist up, making Mikey whimper.

"Ease up, Raph, I might as well get up," Leo mumbled, opening his eyes tiredly. "Ah well. Why don't we g-"

"Natured up!" Mikey chirped. "I mean, should we go get natured up? I dunno if you guys are up for it, but..."

"Eh, I wouldn't mind. Feels great outside," Raph shrugged. "Sure. But 'natured up' means no pizza, so you might as well shove your disgusting face in some before we head out, Mikey."

"I don't have a disgusting face," Mikey mumbled angrily as he headed toward the kitchen. "My face is cute and a treasure!"

"Uh huh," Raph snickered, getting a laugh out of Leo. "C'mon, up and at 'em." Leo wrapped his arm around Raph's neck and slowly stood up, grabbing hold of his crutch. "Get the door, Jones, wouldya?"

"Uh, Casey?" Leo questioned after hearing no response. "Casey."

"Why I oughta," Casey growled angrily to himself, his attention on the tall terrapin and the red head outside. "Why that puckhead-"

"Hey, Jones, stop daydreamin', huh?" Raph barked. "C'mon. Are you gonna come with us or are you gonna mope around?"

"Might as well mope around," Casey crossed his arms, letting out a 'hmph'.

"Oh, c'mon, Casey," Mikey said with his mouth full of pizza. "You should come chillax with us."

"Don't eat with your mouth full," Leo scolded. "But seriously, Casey, you should come. You don't really go in the woods."

Mikey finally caught glimpse of what Casey was upset about and a smug grin stretched across his face. "Oooo, someone's jeeaaaalllooouuussss!"

Leo and Raph peeked out the window and gave Casey a 'really?' look, both their shoulders slumping down. Raph snickered to himself, dragging Leo along with him and having Mikey open the door. Mikey quickly scarfed down his food and stood aside for his two older brothers, wiping some pizza grease off the corner of his mouth. Mikey practically skipped out and giggled, excited to get to spend some time with the most seclusive brothers. He knew it was wrong to think as this way, but with them having many things on their mind, they're bound to have to talk it out eventually. He hoped that at least one of them would trust him enough to confide in him. No matter how petty the situation.

"So, what are we-"

Raph cupped his hand swiftly over Mikey's mouth, not wanting to interrupt Donnie's moment with April. It'd spoil everything, he knew it would. They quickly ran over from the porch to the woods, making sure not to make any loud noises. After feeling sure enough about being far enough from Donnie and April, Raph pulled his hand away from Mikey's mouth, wiping his slobbered-on hand on a tree. He growled at Mikey.

"You know I'm a mouth breather!" Mikey yelped in defense at the angered Raph. "Your hand was pressing down so hard!"

Raph sighed, calming down. "Sorry 'bout that, little brother. I didn't wanna ruin Don's moment." Raph patted Mikey on the shoulder, a little smile on Leo's face.

"All right, what do you guys wanna do?" Leo asked. "I mean, I'm open for pretty much anything."

"Why don't we cross the creek?" Mikey suggested. Leo and Raph stiffed up, giving each other a hesitant look. Mikey quickly tried to think of something else to avoid anything to ruin the rare moment. "I mean, we can jump on some stones- throw some in the creek and watch them skip. Like we did when we were little, yanno?"

"S-sure, that sounds nice," Leo said, a smile plastered on his face. "M-maybe we could try crossing the creek. Raph, what do you think?"

"Uh," Raph said, darting his eyes around. He looked at Mikey, whose eyes were darted down to the ground. Mikey sighed, feeling as though he ruined everything. "Sure, why not? Might as well try sooner than later." Mikey perked up, a tiny squeal escaping his lips.

"Let's go then! I mean- are you dudes ready? I can help if you want."

"Like I said, sooner than later."

"Okay," Mikey replied, walking ahead of them. He reached the creek quickly. He turned and waited, watching his brothers walk slowly. He forgot how beat up they both were. He still saw them as his strong and basically invincible brothers. Leo's crutch leaned off of his arm, making Leo trip a bit and a loud grunt echo around them. Mikey walked quickly over to Leo, helping him up slowly. "You okay, dude?"

"I'm fine," Leo replied, his fingers digging into Mikey's shoulder. "Sorry if I'm hurting you."

"Don't sweat it, Leo," Mikey reassured him. "Hey, where'd Raph go?"

"Beat ya, suckers," Raph grinned, his foot on top of a rock as he posed as some hero. "Come on, ladies, we don't got all day."

"Hey, I-" Mikey stopped himself, his wisdom kicking in. _'Give Raph this one; he needs all the confidence he can get.'_ Mikey smiled in defeat. "All right, bro, you win."

"I don't need a second opinion, but thank you," Raph winked. He dipped his toe in the water. "Mm, feels okay enough just in case we fall in or whatever."

"We won't fall in," Mikey said. "You dudes are still the strong ones outta us all."

Raph and Leo looked at each other, their eyes moist. They both looked at the young terrapin with tender eyes, a small, warm smile on their faces. Mikey glimpsed at them both, a sheepish smile on his face. _'Whatever you said, it was good.'_

"You never cease to amaze me, Mikey," Leo whispered, giving him a light squeeze on the shoulder. "Thanks."

"It's just the truth," Mikey replied, laughing as Leo gave him a noogie. "C'mon, Leo, let's show those rocks who's boss."

"Obviously me," Raph interrupted, facing the first rock embedded in the creek. The current was slow and steady, thankfully. Raph curled his fingers, the sounds of pops following. "You guys ready? Let's skip these rocks."

* * *

"Well, it's not as easy as it seems. I mean, you're a genius, so it's easy for you, but I mean, me, with an average intelligence, some things are hard."

"I could always help you," Donnie suggested. "I'm a whiz in academics, you know."

"I noticed," April smiled. "I wanna figure it out on my own, though. But, I'll come to you if it gets really hard."

"Do you miss school? I mean, you sometimes do complain about it."

"It's a drag, but yeah, I miss it. I just want my normal life back, you know?"

Donnie gulped, hesitating to ask what was boggling his mind. "Uhm, n-never mind."

"What?" April asked, intrigued. "You've got to tell me now, Donnie."

"I-it's stupid," Donnie flustered, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Forget about it."

"I feel like I know what you were gonna ask... were you going to ask if I wish I'd never met you, Donnie?"

"Ehh," Donnie hummed, darting his eyes away. "M-maybe."

"As much as I liked my daily life, having you guys has made my life better. I know how to defend myself, I'm learning ninjitsu from a great master, I get to fight crime- it's amazing. And I don't know how I would have handled everything I've gone through without you. You're always there for me. Donnie, I-"

"Hey, buddies, what are we doing?" Casey pushed Donnie away, wrapping an arm around April and grinning at her. Donnie's face flushed. He really wanted to know what April was about to say. He growled under his breath, gritting his teeth. "Aren't ya afraid of gettin' sick, Red?"

"N-no, I think I'm fine," April stammered, her cheeks glowing a bright shade of red. She glimpsed over to Donnie, who was already walking away. She sighed sadly, looking down to the ground.

"Well, ain't that the truth," Casey replied, giving her a smoldering look.

"Good one, Jones, good one."

As Donnie stepped into the house, with slumped shoulders and a crushed mood, he noticed no one was inside. "Leo? Mikey? Raph? Anyone here?" Donnie called out. He looked at the fridge, a note on the floor. He bent over and picked it up.

 _'Don, April, Casey- whatever dude is reading this, we went out to go get natured up for a bit. Don't eat the rest of the pizza!_  
_-Mikey'_

Donnie pursed his lips, setting the note on the counter. _'I might as well go with them,'_ Donnie thought to himself. He grabbed his staff, gave it a whirl, and shoved it in his belt. He jogged out of the house, heading for the woods. He gave one last look to April, who was being smothered by Casey. He gave her a small smile and a little wave, mouthing 'good luck' before he disappeared into the woods. He heard a cheer and headed towards it, instantly recognizing Mikey's voice. He saw them on the rocks of the creek, a proud smile on his face.

"Hey, guys," Donnie chirped, walking over to them. "Can I join in?"

"Sure, c'mon, Don," Mikey agreed, waving his hand over to them. "We're almost there!"

"And it looks like I'm the leader," Raph joked, giving Leo a smug look. "Like it always shoulda been."

"All right, Mister Cocky Shell," Leo smiled. "Just one more rock."

Donnie hopped quickly across the rocks until he was behind Leo's rock, waiting for Leo to make his move. Leo looked down at the water, glaring down at it. He huffed, held his breath, and stretched his leg over to the other rock. Some pain locked in his knee, making it buckle and his foot slide slowly down the moist stone. He hissed, clenching his fists as he forced himself to lift it up and slam it down on the top and swiftly swung his other leg on it. He waved his hands around, composing his balance. He panted hard, biting down on his lip.

"H-hey, you okay?" Raph asked after hearing Leo pant. "You good, bro?"

"Yeah, super," Leo said slowly. "Let's keep going."

"Remember what we said," Raph reminded. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, yeah, we're almost there, anyways."

"All right." It was Raph's turn. _'Get to it, ya lump. You're holding them all up. You got this,'_ he scolded himself. He tilted his head both ways sharply, popping his neck as to prepare himself. The last rock was a bit farther than the rest. Not so much, but enough to concern him. He really didn't want to fall into the water. It wasn't so cold but it was a bit cooler than it was outside, and the last thing he wanted was to get sick when he was already so weak. He let out a little grunt and perched his toes inward, stretching his leg out to the rock. It quickly slid off, but before he could fall in, he swung his leg back on the rock he was on. He closed his eyes as his anger was slowly rising. _'Like a river over stone,'_ he remembered. Instinctively, he lept to the rock and onto to the grass of the other end. He opened his eyes and looked down at the blades of grass under his feet and inbetween his toes, smiling in disbelief. "Guys, guys, I-I did it! I made it over! Take that, you stupid dam-"

"Hey hey hey!" Leo interrupted, nudging his head over to Mikey.

"-darn creek! The king is here and ready to steer! That's what I'm talking about!" Raph continued, pumping his fists in the air and jumping around in excitement. Crossing the river seemed like a petty thing but it was an ultimate goal to recovery. His strength was coming back to him slowly, he knew it. That's what mattered.

"Good job, Raph!" Leo chirped. "I knew you had it in you."

Caught up in his excitement, Raph failed to watch Leo make it across the creek. Mikey and Donnie congratulated Leo, making Leo feel good about himself. Leo smiled as he watched Raph goof around and laugh happily, sitting down on the grass. It was even more foggy in the woods. He grabbed a slim, black rock in the shallow water, tilted his wrist, and watched it skip a few times. Mikey smiled and sat down next to Leo, joining him. He was happy they were doing something they all enjoyed as kids.

When they were little and wanted to get out of the lair for a bit, they'd find some slim rocks and try to find the most water to skip the rocks. It passed the time and they all loved to see who got the most skips. It was usually Raph or Donnie.

Donnie noticed the two blue-eyed brothers and joined them, sticking his tongue out and squinting to get the precision. He then flicked his wrist and watched his rock skip down the river. Leo and Mikey groaned in defeat, giving Donnie playful glares. Raph ceased his celebration and squinted down at Donnie, determining to outdo him. Raph picked one up, smiled and watched as his stone skipped farther than Donnie's. Donnie looked up at Raph, a challenging look on his face.

"Bring it, meathead," Donnie challenged, waving his rock in his fingers. "Scared of the genius?"

"It takes finesse, not brains," Raph replied, sitting down. "Take it from the guy who's beat ya all the time."

"Physically or at this?"

"Smart-butt," Raph mumbled. It was the cue for Mikey and Leo to stop trying and watch to see who would win; the brains or the brawn. They all shared laughs, oohs, aahs, and whoops as they relived a childhood pass time.

* * *

"Ah, why ya so tense, Red?" Casey snickered, wishing April wasn't worrying about the turtles, more specifically Donatello.

"They've been gone for a while," April replied, chewing on her thumbnail. "Do you think they're okay?"

"There's a note Mikey wrote- they're in the woods. They'll be fine. They're ninjas."

"I know that, but two of them are injured."

"What, so you're saying you don't think Donnie and Mikey are up to defend themselves?" Casey asked, a smug grin on his face.

"Don't twist my words, Jones," April sneered. "Leo and Raph are usually on the first line of defense. They'd do anything to keep Donnie and Mikey out of harm's way. They'd risk themselves despite how hurt they are right now. Use your head. I didn't tutor you for nothing."

"Ahh, I miss our 'tutor sessions,' Red," Casey sighed happily. "Those were the days."

"Uh huh," April replied mindlessly. "Sure hope they're okay."

"Ah, they're fine; they're ninjas," Casey said in an obvious tone once again.

"They're also teenagers. We all are, Casey," April retorted back in a harsh tone. "We're curious, we're stubborn- that's how we are. No matter what, we're vulnerable. Get your head out of your butt and think for once, Casey."

"Hey, we're smart; we know how to take care of ourselves; this ain't 'bout us, this is about the turtles- they're fine, they're warriors."

"No, this is about us. We're all hurt somehow. We're all vulnerable. We think we're tough since we're trained and the fact that we can fight and that we've stood up to so many villains and mutants and yeah, maybe we are, but we're always in some sort of trouble. They're all vulnerable- Leo and Raph are hurt, Donnie and Mikey are scared and are really worried about them- that makes them all vulnerable. No matter how well they're trained. It's not that I don't believe in them- I do, I trust them with my life. They're just not in the right state to be facing anything right now."

Casey became silent and still, half frowning as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He furrowed his eyebrows and clenched his hands into fists, letting out a sharp breath. He passed by April and grabbed his baseball bat, heading to the door.

"Casey, where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go find those guys so you can stop your worrying. I mean that in the nicest way possible."

"Uhm, Casey?"

"Yeah, April?"

"S-sorry about snapping at you. I'm just-"

"I get it. It's whatever. I'll get them back."

* * *

The four terrapins all lay down in the grass. The grass wasn't so wet as it was earlier so they could settle into it more easily without getting little cold droplets on their skin as well as goosebumps. Leo had his arms crossed on his torso, Raph crossed his arms under his head, Donnie with his arms to his side, and Mikey with one hand on his forehead and the other on his stomach. Leo decided to use this time to meditate, Raph played along with Mikey's game of "I Spy" while Donnie listened. They heard some rustling, first unsure about it, so they decided to let it pass their minds. After it became a bit louder, it grabbed Leo's attention and slipped him out of his meditation. He shot up, propped up on one elbow while gripping tightly onto the grass, slowly reaching behind himself for his weapons. He forgot that he and his brothers had removed them from their belts for better comfort and placed them behind a log which was behind a bush, so it couldn't be seen.

"Hey, Leo, what's up?" Raph asked as he saw Leo turn on his side and inch his arm toward the weapon pile. "Scared?"

"Awh, it's okay, dude, we're all here," Mikey cooed reassuringly to Leo. "Don't worry!"

"Yeah, Leo, it's fine, it's probably just the squirrels or some animal," Donnie agreed.

"If it was a squirrel, it'd be up in the trees looking for nuts or something. I swear I'd heard something, and it just, I dunno. I know it's not an animal."

"Did your meditation mess with your head or somethin'? We're fi-" Raph was interrupted with the loud rustle and the snap of a twig, giving them all goosebumps as they shot up immediately. They all glanced at each other, all reaching for their weapons quickly and quickly getting up on their feet. Donnie gripped tightly onto his bow, gritting his teeth, Mikey was spinning his nunchucks, ready to fight, Raph breathed heavily as he laced his fingers in the gaps of his sais and Leo grabbed onto one of his katanas tightly, pointing it toward the darkness of the woods.

" _Well_ ," Leo whispered harshly. " _Believe me **now**?_ "


	23. Do So

Weapons tightly gripped in all of their calloused hands, the turtles looked around, searching for what was in the woods. They saw something long come out of the dark shadows of the woods, immediately replacing their footing and stepping toward it. Raphael breathed heavily, not sure if he would be okay if he was hurt during the possible fight but was sure enough that he wasn't going to let anyone or anything harm his brothers. It lingered out more, rising Raph's protectivity levels so much that he lunged forward and stood in front of his brothers. More of the figure stepped out, the tensions high. Before Raph could charge toward the figure, it held its hands up in front of it.

"No, wait, stop!" It yelled. Puzzled, Raph ceased his charge position, but still ready to lunge if necessary. "It's me, guys!"

"C-Casey?" Donatello longingly questioned, lowering his weapon, sighing a bit annoyed. "Why didn't you say anything? Did you _want_ to be killed?"

"No, I was just messin' with ya!"

"Oh, Casey, you idiot, we coulda killed ya." Raph slipped his sais in his belt, folding his arms to his chest. "I was ready to pound ya into the ground."

"Which is why I stepped up, yo. I'm too young to go out."

"Whatever," Raph grunted, waving his hand in dismissal airily. "C'mon, Leo, we best get a head start so we don't slow the guys down."

"Alright," Leonardo huffed, making his way to Raph. "Let's do this, _again_." He let Raph sling his arm around his shoulders for support.

"Isn't there a way around this creek or somethin'?" Casey asked, unsure if Raph and Leo could make it across a second time.

"That'd be a long time to figure out, Jones," Donnie hissed. "I'm not risking that."

"C'mon, bros, let's just go home so I can hit the sack," Michelangelo protested, yawning. He patted Donnie's shell, dragging his feet. "C'mon, D."

They all crossed the creek in some time and walked to the house, the first one in Casey. He called to April that he returned with the turtles, smiling as she sighed, relieved. Leo and Raph plopped down on the couch, both tilting their heads back onto the cushioned headrest of the couch. They let out a satisfied and tired sigh, practically embedding their bodies into the couch. Seeing this, Mikey grabbed a blanket and draped it over his bigger brothers' legs, giving them a tired smile before leaving them be. Raph, uncomfortable, eyed Leo nervously, biting down on his bottom lip. He recalled that as kids, when he was really tired or wasn't comfortable, he would immediately lean on Leo. Leo caught Raph's glimpse, making Raph jump and dart his eyes away quickly, his face flushing quickly. Leo smiled smugly.

"What's up, Raph? Something on your mind?" Leo asked, still smug, but curious.

"Eh, it-it's nothing," Raph shrugged, making sure to not face Leo.

"No, seriously, what is it?"

"It's just- I'm not really comfy, and I was just, uh," Raph hesitated, blowing out some air and facing his brother. "Uh, could I, uh, lay on you? Like, would it be awkward or weird?"

Touched and surprised by this question, Leo smiled softly, his eyes tender. "Of course you can."

"I'm not gonna hurt ya, am I? 'Cause I don't wanna be riskin' that."

"Eh, who cares? Just go to sleep, Raph. It's fine, I promise."

Leo moved his legs around to make sure he was comfy enough so he wouldn't fidget when Raph lay. He patted his shoulder and then to his lap as a question and an offer to where he could lay. Raph looked at Leo's legs and then his shoulder, deciding to go with the shoulder. Although Leo said it was fine, he didn't want to risk hurting Leo in any way. After shifting and getting comfortable, Raph closed his eyes, let out a deep breath, and curled onto Leo's side. He was glad that he could still do this nevertheless the age. Although better than the position before, Raph wasn't entirely comfortable. Before Leo could sleep, Raph sat up, catching Leo's attention. Leo noticed Raph's hesitant glance toward Leo's lap, again making Leo smile. Leo patted his lap once again and gave his brother a reassuring smile. Raph then lay down his head on Leo's lap, which through the blanket, was very warm. Raph snuggled his head into Leo's lap and tried to throw some blanket over his body, but under his head, he couldn't. Leo pulled off the blanket from his legs and lay it over Raph. Raph looked up at Leo, who gave him an 'eh, it's fine' look along with a shrug, which was enough to reassure him. Raph's body warmth radiated onto Leo's body, so Leo felt the blanket wasn't necessary for him. Folding his arms under his head, they both finally went to sleep.

Mikey didn't want to sleep without playing around with Ice Cream Kitty first, so he pulled her out of the freezer and into a bowl of ice, placing her on the table. They licked each other and Mikey talked about things, eventually feeling his eyes getting heavy on him. Ice Cream Kitty purred and rubbed herself against Mikey's cheek, making him giggle tiredly. He wiped the ice cream off before it could get sticky, but it did anyways. Shortly after, he fell asleep, arms rested and propped up on the table, supporting his head. He snored lightly and moved around as he started to get cold. Donnie walked in about to ask Mikey something when his eyes set onto his sleeping little brother. Ice Cream Kitty was starting to drip as the ice started to fail her, so Donnie slid her back in the freezer, smiled at her and shut the freezer. He managed to find a blanket for Mikey, letting it slowly fall onto Mikey's back. Donnie tucked in some of the blanket under Mikey's arms and chin to assure warmth. He then rubbed his hand over Mikey's head, a little tired smile on his lips before he turned off the lights and headed out.

It wasn't too late, so Donnie decided he would stay awake a little longer to prevent waking up too early. Boy, did he long for some caffeine. He declined the thought of going back in the kitchen to make some coffee as he didn't want to risk waking up his little brother, so he had to deal with his tiredness. He stepped outside, where it was cool and still a bit moist. He sat down on the swinging bench chained onto the strong tree branch and swung for a bit. He felt his eyes getting droopy, so he stopped and moved around to keep awake. Someone stepped out of the shack and started coming toward him. It didn't take long before he saw it was April, the moonlight complimenting her features tenfold. She sat down next to him, tilting her head up to look up at the starry night sky.

"You guys had me worried sick," April finally said, breaking the silence.

"Sorry about that. We were caught up in bonding. We were skipping rocks competitively like we used to as tots, and we played I Spy, and then we-"

"Donnie."

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember our conversation earlier?"

Donnie flushed. "April, I assure you, there's no need to worry about sparring against Leo."

"Not _that_ ," April stated in an obvious tone.

"Then I don't follow." Donnie actually did, he just wasn't sure what she was referring to, exactly.

"We were talking about me appreciating stumbling into you guys and stuff."

"Oh, right." _Duh, Donatello, c'mon_. "What about it?"

"I didn't get to finish what I wanted to say. Should I continue now or should I let you rest? You look pretty damn tired, Donnie."

"April," Donnie gasped jokingly, smiling afterward. She giggled too, then cleared her through. "You can finish now, if you'd like. I'm trying to stay awake for a little while longer anyway."

"Okay, well, like I was saying. We've been through a lot together, you and I and the guys. Especially you, though. You're always there for me. You've always had my back even when I didn't want you to. I know that I can protect myself fairly well now, but it's nice to know that you're still always there for me no matter what. You're really important to me, Donnie. I don't know what I would have done without you. I just-"

Another marvelous interruption from the one and only Casey Jones came up. He jumped up from behind them, making April shriek a bit and Donnie jump from surprise so bad, he fell off of the bench swing. Casey grinned mischeviously down at Donnie, making a winning face. Donnie rubbed the bottom of his shell as it started to ache from the sharp and hard fall, dusting off his legs. Donnie sighed, knowing Casey would stop at nothing to keep April from him. Donnie was too tired to tried to protest. He stood up, wished April a good night and offered Casey a tired wave, trudging his feet as he went to go sleep. He desperately wanted to pick a fight with Casey, but he just wasn't up for it. He thought about the consideration that all Casey wanted was April's attention since he seemed to been having lacking such ever since they came to the farm. His thoughts soon vanished as he fell stomach-flat on his bed, bouncing up a bit from the bed and then closing his eyes and immediately snoring as the bed stopped making him bounce.

* * *

Looking at Donnie as he trudged away from her, April frowned and furrowed her eyebrows, annoyed by Casey's recent interruptions. He tried making moves on her, such as rubbing her shoulders, pressing his chest against her back, resting his chin on her shoulder and such. She wasn't upset about the constant moves, she'd gotten used to that. The main problem was he always butted in when she tried to talk to Donnie, especially with important conversations. She folded her arms across her chest, turning sharply and staring at Casey. He jolted back, startled and then nervous. He knew he was about to get it.

"Casey, what the hell is up with you lately?" April spat.

He became flustered, trying to collect his thoughts. "What'dya mean, Red?"

" _What do I mean_? I mean, why do you keep shoving your way into me and Donnie's conversations? It's getting a tad bit annoying."

"I don't mean it," Casey lied. "I just wanted to spend some time with ya, Red. You've been distant since we got here! What's up with that shit?"

"Don't change the damn subject, Casey. Why are you doing this?"

"I, I just," Casey stuttered, shrugging. "You're always with Donnie."

"Because he and I are best friends. Ever consider that?"

"I thought I was your best friend," Casey pouted, a flash of hurt across his face.

"Am I not allowed to have more that one?" April hissed, hands on her hips. She then sighed, sliding her hand down her face irritated. "Casey, I really don't want to argue with you- things are bad enough. But if you keep this shit up, I will personally kick your ass." With that said, she left Casey outside with the beautiful setting.

She stormed in the house, slamming the door. This startled Mikey, Raph and Leo, being that they were right next to it, basically. Leo's jolt made Raph jolt wide awake, both of them staring tiredly yet alarmingly at the door. April poked her head in, waving sheepishly with an apologetic look on her face. They sighed, relieved that they didn't have to get up. She did the same with Mikey, who immediately smiled back sweetly at her and dropped his head back down on his folded arms, falling fast asleep. She waltzed into the living room, sitting on Leo's chair next to the fire and sighed, her elbow on her knee and head in her hand. Leo turned his head to face her, a concerned look on his tired face.

"Hey," Leo whispered to her, as Raph fell back asleep on his lap.

"Hi," April whispered back, offering a smile, but it came out as a sad one.

"What's wrong?" Leo asked.

"Nothing, forget it, it's not important."

"C'mere," he waved. She hesitated, her hands flat on the armrests of Leo's chair. He nudged his head to the empty space next to him. She sighed and stood up, walking over to him and sitting next to him, turning to face him. She looked down at Raph, a little 'what the heck?' smile on her face. "He used to do this as a kid when he just needed to. It's soothing," Leo explained lowly. "So, anyways, what's got ya down?"

"Every time I keep trying to have a serious conversation with Donnie, or any conversation for that matter, Casey just butts in and shoves Donnie away, and Donnie just walks away with an upset look on his face. It's getting really annoying," April stops as she feels her eyes well up. She sniffles. "I just wish they could get along."

"Hey, hey," Leo cooed soothingly, wiping the fat tears about to fall from her eyes away with his thumb. "They're just opposites, like Ying and Yang. They'll get along eventually. But I thought they were being less, what's the word, douchey to each other? I've seen them joke around and hang out."

"I know, me too. Donnie's been hotheaded here and there, but Casey's the one who's making the complications happen. It seems like Donnie is so used to it; he doesn't bother arguing with Casey anymore."

"It gets old," Leo shrugged. "Maybe Donnie's just fed up with it and knows that nothing he'll do will work."

"I don't know," April sighed, leaning into the cushioned couch. "It's just frustrating. Casey says he wants to spend more time with me, and I feel like I've spent time with both of them equally. I just wanted to talk to Donnie about something serious and then, bam!" She yelps, making Raph stir in his sleep. Leo quickly rubs the back of Raph's shell, which makes Raph stop and go back to sleep. "Sorry. But every time, he appears and fondles over me and then Donnie leaves."

"You need to straighten Casey up; tell him when he's crossing a line. That's not really cool of him. That's childish."

"I know!" April whispers loudly. She slams her fists onto her thighs, grunting. Leo lays a hand on her shoulder for comfort. "Thanks, Leo. Sorry you had to hear about this petty stuff."

"I don't mind." April eases herself and closes her eyes for a moment. She didn't realize she was falling asleep until a warmth comes over her, jolting her up. "You okay?" Leo asks, eyes furrowed.

"Y-yeah, I just didn't realize I worried myself tired."

"Oh yeah, sorry about that."

"It's okay, it's just-tensions are high, danger is inevitable; yanno."

"Not with smart talk like that, Donnie Junior," Leo teased getting a smile out of April. "You can sleep on me if you want."

April whirled her head around, facing Leo. "Are you sure? You already have Raph sleeping on you."

"Eh, I don't mind. You've both slept on me before, no harm. Besides, I don't move around with someone sleeping on me no matter if they move around a lot. Literally, April, you've slept on me before and you had the best sleep ever."

"True," April admitted. "Just don't make any moves on me, Leo."

"I'll try to restrain myself, but it's tempting," Leo jokes along with April, making her giggle. "Night, April."

"Night, Leo." She curls her knees up to her chest, grabbing the blanket on the floor and pulling it up to her. She kicks off her boots and socks, wriggling her toes as the cool air hits her feet. She tucks the blanket under her feet and offers some to Leo, putting it over his shoulder and then rests her head on it, closing her eyes. She quickly falls asleep.

* * *

Despite sleeping later than his brothers, Donatello is the first to wake up. He groans groggily, rubbing his hand on his forehead to the back of his neck, trying to make the crook in his neck less tense. He doesn't bother to move, he wanted to try to fall asleep, to give it some time. As time passed and Donnie stayed awake, he groaned and slipped out of bed, trudging down the stairs. Michelangelo was still asleep on the table, so that meant Donnie had to stand by the coffee pot to make sure it wouldn't whistle. After some time, the water was hot enough, so he turned off the fire. He grabbed the handle carefully, his cup ready to be filled. Placing the pot down, he grabbed the coffee container from the pantry and poured some in, then grabbed some coffee creamer from the fridge. He decided to go with caramel as vanilla wouldn't be strong enough for him with his as sleepy as he currently was. After stirring his concoction, he took a sip and let out an "ahh", smiling tiredly as he stared out the little window above the sink.

The door burst wide open, grabbing Donnie's attention so quickly that his hand jolted, spilling some coffee on his skin. He hissed and set it down, shaking the coffee off and wiping off the excess on his leg. He jogged to the door, seeing a dirty and greased up Casey. Donnie turned around, unphased and returned to his coffee. Casey stepped in hesitantly, his hand gripped onto the door frame. He cleared his throat, making Donnie dart his eyes to see him, but he quickly looked back outside. Donnie did not want to deal with Casey at the moment. He just wanted to enjoy his caffeine.

"Don, listen," Casey begins in a low whisper.

"No, Casey, don't," Donnie whispers back sharply. "I just wanna drink my coffee in peace."

"But Don, I need you to hear me out."

"Can it wait 'til later? Why don't you butt your way in on April and someone else's conversation like you've been doing lately?"

"Don, c'mon-"

"No, Casey," Donnie said, turning around and furrowing his eyes. "Just let me drink my coffee alone, then you can say whatever you want."

Casey sighed in defeat, seeing that Donnie did not want company at the moment. "Okay."

Without realizing it, Donnie had spilled more coffee on his hand. "Ouch."

* * *

Walking around the house bored out of his mind, Casey was left alone with his bungling thoughts since Donnie didn't want to speak to him. ' _He should hear me out; that wannabe-know-it-all_ ,' Casey thought to himself angrily. ' _What's up his ass? Oh yeah, you, dumbass. You keep being annoying to him and he's bein' nice enough to not blow up on you. God._ ' He pulled on his hair frustrated by his recent actions. Of course he was jealous, but why was he stooping to such childish lengths? He stumbled into the living room, seeing that the TV was on. Contorting his face into a puzzled expression, Casey peered his head over the couch to see who could possibly be awake. He was surprised to see Raphael and April sleeping on Leonardo, who were all asleep.

Casey sat down in the wooden chair, watching god know's what on the TV. He was bored out of his mind. He'd work on the car again, but he worked on it most of the night, and he tired of it. He was surprisingly not tired; he just wanted to talk to Donnie and try to explain himself. He paced around the house, he peeked his head in the kitchen here and there to see if Donnie was done, but every time he checked, Donnie had a fresh brew of coffee made and was sipping on his cup of it. Every groan Casey made, Donnie heard and smiled.

Eventually, Mikey woke up, his eyes looking tired and squinty. Donnie turned his head and was startled that Mikey was awake this early. Mikey yawned and stretched his arms out, slowly sitting up. He rubbed his eyes and smacked his dry lips, closing his eyes. ' _Looks like he's still tired, poor guy,_ ' Donnie thought, smiling. Donnie walked over to Mikey, who jolted his eyes open at the sound of the creaking floorboards. Donnie lay a hand on Mikey's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. Mikey looked around and shined his sweet smile despite being so sleepy.

"Morning," Donnie whispered.

"Mornin', dude," Mikey yawned back. "What'cha drinkin'?"

"Coffee. Want some?"

"Won't that make me hyper?" Mikey asked, a mischievous and excited tone lingering in his voice.

"Eh, maybe, but it'll sure wake you up. Maybe. So, yay or nay?"

"Yay!" Mikey chirped. Donnie raised his finger to his lips, shushing Mikey. Mikey nodded, a smile plastered on his face. Donnie poured Mikey some coffee and when he got to the creamer, raised each one in his hand with a questioning look. Mikey pointed to the vanilla with a nod followed by Donnie. Donnie then stirred and handed the coffee to Mikey. "Is it piping hot?"

"It's a bit cooled down, but still hot enough. It won't burn your tongue, don't worry. It's really warm, though."

"Okay." Mikey took a sip, his eyes widening and his smile growing as the taste flowed over his tastebuds. "Mm!" He drank quickly until Donnie forced his mug down, giving him a disapproving look. "What?"

"Don't do that. Take sips. Long or short ones, doesn't matter. Just don't chug, okay? Coffee can make you... want to use the bathroom."

"Oh," Mikey said, looking down at his mug. "Do we have bread?"

"Always," Donnie answered, pulling a loaf from the cupboard. "What for?"

"Well, sometimes, when you made coffee and went to sleep late, me and Leo would wake up and I would drink some. One time, I was gonna make toast, but the bread fell in the coffee, and I tasted it, and it was awesome. You should try it, D."

"Mm," Donnie hummed hesitantly. "Okay, I'll give it a shot."

They ate the bread dipped in coffee together, both letting out pleased sounds with every bite. Donnie was very pleased with what Mikey introduced him to. Soft yet strong. Casey peered his head in and Mikey's eyes fell on him, joy taking over his face. He waved Casey to come in, which made Donnie shrink away. Casey stepped in, feeling Donnie's furious eyes on him.

"What's up, Casey? You're really dirty," Mikey pointed out.

"Yeah, worked on the car and stuff."

"You gotta get some sleep, dude."

"Yeah, maybe."

Mikey exchanged looks from Casey to Donnie. Every time Mikey looked at Donnie, Donnie darted his eyes down to his coffee to make sure Mikey wasn't caught between the little situation taking place. Casey just avoided eye contact all-in-all. Feeling awkward, Mikey got up from his seat. He felt that he and Donnie's moment wouldn't return, so he sadly smiled down at Donnie and walked away, his soaked loaf of bread dripping down his hand in one hand and coffee in the other. Mikey didn't get to spend much time with his brothers, and he cherished every moment and was hurt every time it was ruined. Donnie heard Mikey sigh as he walked away, making Donnie even more upset.

"God, Casey," Donnie hissed in a whisper. "Why do you keep ruining the moments? It's bad enough that Mikey feels lonely in a house full of his brothers and friends. Why do you keep intruding on my moments with people? It's pissing me off." Donnie stood up and kicked his chair to the floor, storming out triumphantly. He ran over to Mikey. "Mikey, I'm sorry about that. How about I go feed the chickens with you, huh?"

"Nah, it's okay," Mikey said, looking away. "It's not gonna be the same," he whispered so low, Donnie couldn't hear it coherently.

"I insist. I don't want that ruining our bro time. I'm sorry, Mikey."

"Mmkay," Mikey agreed, smiling a bit. "We don't have to feed the chickens though, we can do something else."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Uh," Mikey froze. "I dunno. I thought you'd have some ideas."

Donnie strongly considered his thought, thinking of all the bad outcomes. But he really wanted to make it up to his little brother. Casey shouldn't be ruining their time together. He sighed, slowly saying, "How about you help me out with some chemicals?"

"A-are you sure?" Mikey asked, hesitant. "We don't have to do that, I might mess up."

"No, not the chemicals I'm trying to make into important stuff. I meant like, science project stuff. Like, elephant toothpaste."

"What's that?"

"I'll show you," Donnie smiled a toothy grin, making Mikey giddy.

* * *

Casey strolled over to the living room again, wanting to attempt to talk to April since Donnie wouldn't cooperate. He stepped on her side of the couch and bent down a bit, reaching his hand out hesitantly. He grabbed her shoulder and shook her a bit, making her mumble and shrug his hand off. She wasn't ready to wake up, she was so comfortable and cozy. She snuggled more into Leo's side, wrapping her hands around his bicep and gripping on it and fell back asleep. He silently grunted, trying again. She waved her hand as to shoo whatever was disturbing her off. Though she wasn't waking up, Leonardo was. He wriggled his nose, smacked his lips a bit and opened his eyes, looking in the direction to what was shaking his side. As soon as he saw Casey, he shot his head up, startling Casey for a moment.

"Oh, sorry, Leo, I didn't mean to wake ya," Casey whispered.

"Yeah, I know."

Feeling a bit of hostility from Leo, Casey backed his hand away. "Uh, I meant to wake April. Maybe you could help me."

"I don't think so," Leo chuckled, his voice husky. Leo wrapped his arm around April's shoulders and gripped onto her shoulder tightly, bringing her closer to her as if it would make Casey farther away from her. "You should go, Casey."

Confused, Casey didn't move. "Why?"

"You just should. I'd hate to have to wake them up to force you out of here," Leo spat.

"Woah, Leo, I just wanted to talk to April."

"And this is me telling you no."

"Why won't you let me talk to her? What's up your shell?"

"One, she's asleep, Casey. And she's comfortable. _She had a hard time last night_ ," Leo said slowly, narrowing his eyes at Casey to emphasize he knew what happened between Casey and April. "Two, you should give her and my brother space to talk freely."

"This ain't your problem to worry about, Leo."

"It is now. When it makes the tensions worse around here, it is my concern. Go."

"I ain't goin', Leo."

"Do you wanna find out how Raph is when you wake him up from a good sleep from a long night? I don't think so. I suggest you go. Now. I'm not going to say it again." Leo glared at Casey, hoping it was cold enough to make Casey leave so that he wouldn't have to wake his brother and April. Feeling emotionally cornered, Casey sighed angrily and triumphantly left. Leo sighed in relief, sinking back into the cushions of the couch. He felt April stir and shrug her shoulder, and he remembered that he was gripping onto her really tightly. He immediately released his hold on her shoulder.

"Mm, thanks, Leo," April mumbled into his arm, a tired smile on her face before she went back to sleep.

Taken aback for a moment and then smiling down at her, Leo nodded. "No problem." Leo then clicked on the tv with the remote, knowing that he wasn't going to back to sleep. He really craved some coffee, he could smell the last brew Donnie made from the kitchen. He watched the morning news, stroked April's hair and rubbed Raph's shell. ' _I feel like a dad. All I need to complete it is coffee._ '

* * *

"Oh my gosh, D! This is all so awesome!" Mikey yelled in excitement, looking around at all of the experiments Donnie showed him. It varied from making ice cream to having fire in your hands without being burned. Mikey was so fawn over the time he and Donnie spent together and how much fun they had with _science!_ "Thanks for hanging out with me, Don," Mikey said bashfully, rubbing the back of his head. "It's nice to hang out with you whenever I get the chance to."

"I'm sorry we haven't spent so much time together lately, Mikey. You know how caught up I get in my lab," Donnie replied sincerely.

"I know, I know. It's fine. This was cool. I'm gonna go back in the house and try to make coffee as awesome as yours and maybe make some breakfast. Do you want some?"

"No, thanks. The bread and coffee was enough. Thanks for showing me that, by the way. It was delicious."

Mikey headed for the outside, but before he did, he turned around and saw Donnie going over to his lab table at the other end of the shack. Without thinking, Mikey ran and jumped onto Donnie's back, hugging him from behind, not saying a word. Donnie almost fell on his table and was about to have an outburst when he felt Mikey's arms wrap around his neck as he nuzzled his head into Donnie's neck. Donnie smiled warmly and patted Mikey's hands, gripping them gently. Mikey hopped off and started to make his way to the doors, walking backwards. Mikey waved, a big smile on his face, which was basically contagious. Donnie couldn't help but to smile a toothy grin, chuckling and waving back as he watched Mikey walk out.

Bumping into Mikey accidentally on his way in, Casey stepped in the shack, heading towards his car, letting out a loud yawn. Donnie turned his head mindlessly, seeing Casey. He dropped what he was doing and walked over to him, leaning his arm on the car, wrapping his leg around the other. Casey looked up slowly. Donnie shrugged.

"Uh, need somethin', Don?"

"Well, I just wanted to know if you wanted to tell me now or later, that's all."

"I guess so." Casey stood up and leaned on the car, rubbing the grease off of his forehead with the back of his hand. "Listen, Don, I'm sorry I've been buttin' in on you and April's talks. Y'know how I am."

"I thought we were okay with each other, Casey."

"We are, it's just, I get so, I dunno, protective when it comes to April."

"We both do, Casey. What's new."

"Anyways, I just wanted to say sorry. It looked pretty important and I just impulsively tried to break you two away from each other."

"That's rude, Jones." Donnie stood up straight. "Just stop it. You were acting like a brat."

"I figured. I'll try."

"Don't just try," Donnie said, walking to the doors. "Do so."


	24. We'll See

Michelangelo strolled in the kitchen, humming a song as he tried to figure out how to make coffee the way Donnie did. Hearing his little brother's humming, Leonardo shot up, hopeful that he would somehow get something to solve his hunger problem.

"Mikey?" Leo whispered loudly.

"Leo?" Mikey jogged to the doors of the living room. "What are you doing, bro? The news is boring."

"I can't really get up; Raph and April are sleeping on me."

"Aw, no fair!"

"I'll let you sleep on me tonight, okay? Can you do me a favor?"

"What kind of favor?" Mikey asked, rubbing his two fingers on the sides of his chin curiously. "Does it involve me doing hard work? I'm not really up for that right now."

"Nah, it doesn't. Are you making coffee right now?"

"I'm trying to, why?"

"I really want some. Could you make me some, please?" Leo smiled cheesily and gave Mikey his best tender, puppy-dog eyes, hoping it would take effect and work.

"Fine, fine, since you asked so nicely," Mikey smiled, going back in the kitchen. "Though I gotta warn ya, Don's the one who's good with making this stuff. I had him try the bread with the coffee thing."

"Oh, really? Did he like it?"

"Shell yeah! Who wouldn't? Want some? I could pull up the table for you, old man."

"Ha ha," Leo laughed. "That'd help a lot, actually. Where's Don anyway?"

"Oh, he and Casey are in the shack."

Leo tensed up, tilting his head back more so he could peer into the kitchen and set his eyes on his little brother. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Mikey sighed, stirring the mugs. "They're clawing at each other's throats again. Whatever they're fighting about, I guess Casey started it or whatever. Their fights make D distant, and I barely get to hang out with him."

"Well, we have hung out together a lot this past week," Leo pointed out, hearing the sadness lingering in Mikey's voice.

"Yeah, I know, and that's been awesome, but I mean, just me and Don."

"Well, you got to hang out today, right?"

"Yeah," Mikey replied, a little smile on his face. "It was really fun! He showed me some really cool science stuff that people like April and Casey would do at science fairs! There was this one thing," Mikey paused, setting down Leo's coffee and bread on the little table and sliding it towards him. "I think it was called, elephant toothpaste? Yeah! He poured in something and it shot up like a volcano's lava! It went like, pew!" Mikey raised his hands and wiggled his fingers, then let them fall onto the table. "And it was like, a solid, but not! It looked like toothpaste and it was super tall! It was really cool!"

Leo smiled sweetly as Mikey babbled on about all the things Donnie showed him with their bonding time. He was glad Mikey wasn't upset about barely getting to hang out with Donnie; he noticed his little brother being bummed out and bored a lot since he couldn't really play with Raph and Leo due to their injuries. Donnie was the only one Mikey really had. Casey would maybe spar with Mikey, but that was about it. April would usually attend to the injured terrapins, try to break up the constant bickering between the puckhead and the genius, or would just take time to de-stress.

"...D can really work his magic," Mikey sighed, swaying side to side with a big grin on his face. "I wish there'd be more of those; I don't care if he'd just talk science to me, I'd listen and try to understand so that we could talk about copolymers or something." Raph and April stirred in their sleep, scaring Mikey. "Casey is really buggin' me. Not to be mean, but he's gettin' in my way of hanging out time."

"How about you and I go play in the woods whenever these two wake up?" Leo suggested. He needed to exercise and try to get used to moving around a lot anyways. "Huh?"

"I don't want ya to get hurt tryna make me feel happy, Leo," Mikey pouted, looking down. "You don't have to hang out with me, it'll only hurt ya."

Leo's chest tightened, as if someone was pulling the strings inside of him tightly and wouldn't let go. His little brother thinking that hanging out with him hurting just made it hurt. Leo set down his coffee and lay his hand over Mikey's light green hand, grabbing his attention. Mikey looked up, surprised.

"Mikey, don't think like that. I wanna hang out with you, honest. We'll play hide and seek. Get to work on our stealth skills. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"You make it sound like a mission," Mikey rolled his eyes sarcastically, a little smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Okay, Leo, we'll play hide and seek. But I'm soooo gonna win."

"Oh, you're on," Leo smiled, rubbing Mikey's head.

"You're on my nerves is what you are," Raphael mumbled, rolling around on Leo's lap. "Shut it, will ya?"

"You shut it, hothead," Leo smiled.

"Ugh," Raph groaned, sitting up slowly. "You're lucky I had such a good sleep, ya dork. I can't remember the last time I slept that good. Thanks, Leo," Raph said, a little blush on his cheeks. "You, uh, really helped me."

"Eh, don't worry about it. But tonight, Mikey called dibs on the Leo pillow."

"I can share," Mikey responded. "We can share Leo if ya want, Raph!"

"Sure, okay," Raph smiled tiredly, rubbing his eyes. He caught a glimpse at April, whose eyes were slowly opening. Her gaze fell on his, and they stared at each other for a moment before Raph flickered his eyes away, feeling himself heat up. "Uh, so what's goin' on with you two?"

"Me and Leo are gonna go play hide and seek!"

" _Hide and seek_ ," Raph repeated mockingly, giving Leo a 'really?' look. "Why?"

"Well, Don and Casey are 'talking' again, and I-"

"Really? Again?" April groaned tiredly, pushing herself off of comfortable position on Leo. She was sad to wake up from such a good sleep. "Maybe I should check i-"

"No," Leo stopped her, grabbing her shoulder. "Don't stress yourself. You're too stressed already, April."

"Well, if I don't stop them, who will?"

"Don will," Raph yawned. "Donnie is more mature than Casey, yanno."

"Yeah, but-"

"But take some time to yourself and don't worry about those stick masters," Raph interrupted. "It's not your job, April. Give yourself a well-deserved break."

"I agree with Raph. You should just keep away from their trouble today. Have some coffee with bread."

"Oo, with bread? Why didn't ya losers wake me?"

* * *

Donatello leaned against the doors of the shack, his arms folded on top of each other as he looked out into what was in front of him. He propped his leg up and pressed his foot on his other thigh. He sighed, his head pounding. He really didn't want any drama today. He wished that he and Mikey could hang out more. He wished April could tell him what she's been trying to tell him. He wished for a lot of things. His eyes were slowly closing when suddenly he heard the front door burst open, a turtle jumping down each step of the stairs. He smiled as he saw Mikey bounce around happily, but he wondered what made him so giddy? He saw Leo come out, shouting something to Mikey. Raph followed, coffee in his hand, which was going up to his lips.

"...c'mon, Leo!" Mikey chirped loud enough for Donnie to interpret. "Oh, hey Donnie!" Mikey waved.

"Hiya," Donnie smiled back, walking over to the youngest terrapin. "What's all the hubbub?"

"Me and Leo are gonna play hide and seek!"

"Hide and seek?" Donnie questioned, giving Leo a funny look.

"He's bored and I wanted to get outside and hang out with him," Leo shrugged. "I figured why not? Could help on our stealth."

"Don't forget me," Raph grunted. "I'm gonna blow your minds."

"Really?" Don questioned, a smug look on his face. "With that much meat in your head, I'd say not."

"I'll make you say otherwise," Raph smiled devilishly, swiftly taking his sai out of his belt and holding it to Donnie's face. "If you'd like me to."

"Uh, hehe," Donnie smiled nervously, pushing the point of the sai down with his finger. "N-no thanks. Let's play, hm?"

"All right, all right, all right!" Mikey cheered, hopping his way over to the woods, still a bit misty and foggy, but not much. "Who's it?"

All the turtles glanced at each other, confused expressions on their faces. Leo, Donnie and Raph exchanged a look, quickly raising their fingers to their noses, all giving Mikey a smug look before the three yelled, "Nose goes!" Mikey gaped open his mouth in surprise, his shoulders slumping. He raised a finger to protest, but knew nothing would convince his older brothers to change their mind anyways.

"Ugh, you guys are quick," Mikey groaned, crossing his arms.

"Awh, c'mon, little brother, think of it like being the superhero that finds the villains and gets to defeat them or somethin'," Raph said, a hand on Mikey's shoulder. "We're gonna hide now. Count 30 shells!"

"I know, I know!" Mikey waved his hand airily, turning around and cupping his hands over his eyes. "1 shell, 2 shells, 3 shells..."

Raph decided to hide on the ground on account that he could barely leap up. He looked around quickly for a good place to hide, and he gazed upon a fallen tree with a hollow inside. The tree was large enough for him to crawl in from the looks of it, so he bent down on his knees and elbows and slowly crawled in, going for the most shadowed part of the inside to camouflage himself with the nature. Leo, on the other hand, can manage to climb up a bit, but only where he can hop down with little to no harm done. He comes across a big rock and leaps over it, discovering that it has a little hollow side to it. He bends down and shoves his way in the damp hole, rolling objects in front of him to keep from being discovered. It isn't much, but he thinks it will do enough. Donnie decides to climb up way high in a tree, stopping as the leaves become bothersome. His skin blends in with the color of the leaves, so he leans into the diverse colored branches and looks from above, waiting for Mikey to pass by.

"...28 shells, 29 shells, 30! All right, slowpokes, get ready to be found by the one and only Mikey!" Mikey carefully looked around for any signs of movements, but nothing moved other than the leaves and bushes dancing in the wind. Mikey squinted his eyes, looking up and about. _'Hm, Leo and Raph can't be up too high,'_ Mikey thought to himself. _'Where would I hide?'_ He leaped behind ever bush he saw and yelled "Aha!" each time, disappointed when he found no one behind it. He heard a nearby grunt, so he quickly ran in the direction it came from. He walked past the fallen tree Raph was hiding in, making Raph feel relieved. Mikey saw the big rock up ahead and smiled deviously, leaping behind it and slowly moving his arm around the inside until his hand bumped Leo's chest. Leo quickly sucked in a sharp breath, hoping Mikey wouldn't notice. Mikey smiled and grabbed onto Leo's 2 straps attached to his belt and tugged Leo out from the shadow, revealing his bigger brother.

"Dang, Mikey, you're good," Leo smiled, gritting his teeth. He didn't like to be found first, but he knew it was his own fault for grunting so loudly. He needed to work on his stealth skills. "I'm first, huh?"

"Ya sure are, Mr. High-and-Mighty!" Mikey chirped, happy that he actually found Leo. Usually Leo would be the last one to seek and Mikey would give up, refusing to look for Leo. "I finally got ya!"

"All right," Leo huffed, shrugging Mikey off of him. "I get it. Let's find the others. Hopefully they do better than me."

"Are you mad at me?" Mikey asked, sensing the bit of hostility lingering in Leo's voice. "I'm sorry that I found ya, bro. I can pretend I didn't..."

"No, I'm not mad at you," Leo reassured Mikey, placing a hand on Mikey's shoulder. "I just didn't know I needed more work on my stealth skills."

"Don't worry, Leo, I'll help you get better at hide and seek!"

Leo couldn't help but to smile at Mikey's innocence. "Thanks, Mikey, that'd mean a lot. C'mon, let's see where the other two are."

"Okey dokey," Mikey replied, taking the lead. He looked around and up and down, not seeing anyone yet. Mikey went in a big circle, becoming frustrated. "Hm, they're usually not this good at hiding," Mikey said aloud more to himself than Leo. "Where the heck are they?"

"Try looking inside of things, maybe," Leo shrugged. "We should try to hurry, I'm hungry."

"Whine, whine, whine," Mikey joked, getting a smile out of Leo. "Inside things? Like what, bushes?"

"These bushes wouldn't really serve to help us. They're too short or too slim. It wouldn't really suffice."

"So maybe I should look inside of trees," Mikey said, his voice going high pitched. "Yeah!" He quickly lept to every tree and stuck his head inside any holes big enough and searched inside the tree. He heard something move, so he and Leo both quickly turned around, looking to see if anything was out of the ordinary. They heard the sound again, and it sounded as if something was rolling. Mikey heard something hiss and ran over to the fallen over tree, knocking on the top of it to hear if it was hollow or not. It was until he reached the middle of the tree, hearing an 'ow!' when he knocked. He quickly smiled and bent down, tilting his head to look inside and sure enough, there was Raph. "Hey there, Raph!"

"Gah!" Raph growled, slowly crawling out. He squinted his eyes as soon as daylight hit his face, immediately pulling his arm up to block the sun out of his eyes. "How'd you even find me?"

"We heard something rolling around," Leo replied. "Not so stealthy."

"Says the one who got found first," Raph spat back, smirking at Leo, who darted his eyes down to the ground. "That's what I thought. Where's Don?"

"We didn't find him yet."

"No way did that noodle survive longer than us!" Raph yelled, his hands balled in fists. "I don't buy it."

"Believe it or not, we gotta find him. It's been a while since we've all ate."

"Man, now that you bring it up, I'm starving," Raph groaned, clenching his stomach. "Let's find that shell-for-brains and get outta here."

"Ugh, I don't wanna look for Don, you guys made me hungry!" Mikey whined.

"Let's at least try. You didn't happen to try the treetops, did you now?" Leo asked.

"Ehehehe," Mikey chuckled, shrugging. "Eh, no."

"Well, hop up there, monkey boy," Raph demanded. "We ain't got all day."

"Keep your shell on," Mikey replied, leaping up in the trees. He searched the inside of the bundle of leaves for each tree, hopping from one to the other. He hopped until he tired out and leaned against the tree bark, but jumped back when he felt the bark feel soft. He contorted a confused expression, sticking his hand inside the leaves again, feeling something moist on his finger. "Ew! Is this sap or something?" Mikey shook his finger in disgust, slowly sticking his hand back in again. His finger once again was moist. Mikey shuddered, slowly continuing to stick his finger further inside the bundle of leaves. He heard a gag and yelped, ready to grab his chucks when he gazed upon two eyes. "Oh my god! A monster! Ahh!" Mikey backed up and was about to fall off of the big strong branch until something grabbed onto his arm tightly, pulling him back to his feet. Mikey shivered in fear until the figure fully stepped out, a stern look on its face.

"Really, Mikey? A monster? Am I that hideous?" Donnie said, crossing his arms over his chest, giving Mikey a playful grin. "Took you long enough. Let's find Leo and Raph then."

"Hey, Don, get your shell down here, we're hungry!" Don was startled to hear Raph's voice down below, his eyes widening. He looked down, confused. "Well, what are ya waiting for? C'mon!"

"Am I last?" Donnie asked, surprised. "You found me last?"

"I was surprised, too!" Mikey smiled giddily. "They kinda strained themselves when they were hiding, so they kinda gave themselves away."

"That's the only time you'll find them first, probably," Donnie replied, jumping down with Mikey. "What's this about food now?"

"I wanna make that potato soup," Leo said. Donnie, Raph and Mikey all stared at him blankly. "What?"

"It's been a while since we've had that," Raph said slowly. "Do you remember how to make it? Don't ruin my tastebuds."

"No, no, I know how to make it. I'm sure of it."

"That's a really good soup you're talking about, Leo," Donnie said. "I don't want something so good to be... reduced to a bad taste."

"Are you guys saying I can't cook? What about those plantains?" Leo argued. "C'mon, at least let me try! I've been craving it for so long. I need soup, Raph needs soup."

"We should give Leo a chance, guys," Mikey interrupted. "I mean, he has been cooking good stuff lately. Amirite?"

"Well," Donnie sighed. "Sure, okay. Just, don't try to mess it up. The last time we had that it was the best soup we ever had. I don't want the comeback to be gross."

"Gee, thanks for the confidence boost." Leo rolled his eyes. "If you guys don't like it, I'll do dish duty for a week."

"Deal!" The three turtles immediately agreed.

"Let's get to it then, fearless leader," Raph smiled, taking the lead.

* * *

April played with the strands of her hair, not knowing what else to do. She didn't realize what little she did when she wasn't breaking up the arguments between Donnie and Casey. She sighed, her head pounding even though nothing was bothering her. She paced around the living room, looking at the cracks in the wallpaper to the fireplace to the lines of fabric on the couch. She heard footsteps approaching, continuing her pacing but over to the hallway. The door swung open, startling her. All the turtles raced to the kitchen, taking a seat somewhere, whether on top of the counter or on the floor, all except for Leo, who was grabbing things from the cabinets. April stepped in, shooting Leo a confused look. It took a while until he finally noticed April's presence.

"Oh, sorry, April," Leo said quickly, dropping everything in his arms down on the counter. "Need something?" Leo asked, wiping his head.

"No, just wondering what in the world you're doing."

"Cooking," Leo answered, washing his hands.

"Obviously, but what?"

"Sorry, sorry," Leo laughed forcefully. "I'm making this potato soup that me and the guys used to eat when we were a bit younger."

"Seems like the thought is overwhelming you," April pointed out, concerned. "Are you up to cook it? Why don't I?"

"No!" All four turtles yelled quickly. April froze, her eyes wide and furrowed.

"Uhm, okay," April responded slowly. "Do you need any help?"

"We wanna see if fearless can make it right on his own since he brought it up. We're crazy about it," Raph replied. "Leo oughta make it better than the last time we had it."

"Why?"

"Because it's one of our favorite soups! If he brings it back and it's icky, we'll never get to remember how great it tasted the last time we ate it!" Mikey said.

"Would you quiet down?" Leo hissed. "I'm going to try, but with you three clawing down my throat, I'm never gonna even get to start it!"

"Okay, okay!" Donnie said, his hands up to his chest in surrender. "But you know how much we like it, Leo. Try not to mess it up-"

"Just get out!" Leo yelled, pointing to the empty hallway. "Scat!"

"Whatever," Raph shrugged, leading the way out. "C'mon, guys, let's give Leo all the time he needs to mess up."

Leo growled under his breath as his brothers all left the kitchen, leaving only him and April. Leo, unaware April was still there, slammed his hands down on the counter hard, breathing hard. April gasped, quickly covering her mouth, but it was too late. Leo sharply turned around, facing her and sighing. "Sorry, I didn't know you were there."

"I noticed. Are you sure you don't want my help, Leo?"

"N-no," Leo replied. "You should still take this time to enjoy your day, don't worry about me." He waved his hand airily, insisting she leave to enjoy her time. After a while and she didn't move, Leo turned to her once again and stepped over to her, putting both of his hands on her shoulders. "April, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," Leo smiled reassuringly, pulling her in for a hug. "Go have fun or sleep in or whatever. Maybe you could get in on the 3 musketeers doing something stupid."

"Okay, Leo, okay," April laughed, breaking the hug, feeling okay enough to leave Leo. "Maybe I can finally talk to Donnie or something."

"Are you sure you wanna worry about that today?"

"I just wanna tell Donnie what I wanna tell him. I can't keep it in any longer."

"Okay, I support ya," Leo replied, patting her shoulder. "Good luck."

"Thanks," April smiled, leaving Leo be.

Leo stretched out his arms, linking his fingers and popping them, determined to try his best to make his brothers (and himself) the most amazing comeback of a soup. He stretched out his neck and bent his back a bit. He sorted out the ingredients and decided to add some bacon. He began to cook the bacon in a skillet for some minutes until it was crisp, setting them on some sheets of paper towels on a plate. Using bacon was a bit challenging for him as he didn't use bacon before, so he used some bacon drippings and cooked it with an onion on the skillet, waiting until he felt it was tender enough. He then poured in the broth and potatoes in with the onions in a pot, waiting until the potatoes were a bit less rough. While he waited, he smothered some butter on the skillet, settling some flour on it and stirring it until it was soft.

He cooked and stirred it for a minute, adding it into the 2 cups of milk he prepared and poured it into the potato mixture, adding the rest of the milk batch and some salt. He was unsure if he should add pepper and decided against it. He set the fire to medium, whisking it. He felt nervous, seeing no change in the batter until he noticed it was becoming a struggle to stir the mixture, seeing that it was thick and it was bubbly. He gulped, then sighed, relieved. He then stirred it in half of the bacon, some sour cream, some cheese, and half a cup of the onion. He cooked it until it was thorough and the cheese melted, wiping his head with the back of his hand. He didn't notice how heated he was. He gulped, turning off the fire and getting out some bowls, grabbing a ladle and pouring about 3 to 5 servings of it into each bowl, adding the rest of the bacon on top of each bowl and some onions, but not too much along with the rest of the cheese. He sighed heavily, grabbing some spoons and looking nervously out the window, watching his brothers roughhousing.

He knocked on the window on top of the sink, grabbing their attention. Leo gave a nervous smile, waving his hand inward. Raph, Mikey and Donnie ceased roughhousing, all distinctly talking as they made their way inside. Leo gulped once again, carrying two bowls at a time into the living room. He took his place by the fire and sat down, anxiously awaiting for his brothers to try it. Once they filled in and sat down in the living room, Leo darted his eyes down to his bowl, sneaking glances at his brothers, who were all eyeing their dishes. Mikey grabbed his spoon, filling it with the potato soup and slowly putting it in his mouth. Leo was shaking, waiting to see how Mikey reacted. When Mikey widened his eyes and shot in another spoonful in his mouth, Raph and Donnie glanced at each other, trying the meal. Raph quickly ate more while Donnie ate slowly, wanting to savour the taste. Leo let out a shaky breath, smiling in relief. He finally ate some of his serving, smiling as the taste flowed in his mouth.

"Oh my god, Leo, this is so good," Mikey said, mouth full. "Please tell- please tell me there's more."

"You finished?" Leo gasped too sharply, choking on his food. He quickly drank the glass of water he set out for him, breathing in many breaths before he spoke again. "You're seriously done?"

"I mean, yeah!"

"Is there pepper in here?" Donnie questioned.

"Erm, no, there isn't. Is that bad?"

"No, just wondering." Donnie took another bite. "You should add pepper next time, maybe."

"Nah, nah!" Raph waved Donnie off. "It's better without pepper. Leo, dude, sorry I gave ya a hard time- this is awesome."

"So is there seconds or no?" Mikey asked, anxious to run for more.

"Yeah, there's more, Mikey." Leo smiled as Mikey ran in the kitchen, coming out with more. He saw the pepper shaker in Mikey's hands, making him a bit unsettled.

"Don't worry, I like it just the way it is. Yanno how Donnie is, picky," Mikey said, reassuring Leo. Donnie glared at Mikey as he put some pepper in his bowl. "I liked it a lot, Leo, thanks. But I'm gonna top your soup, 'cause I'm the best cook in this house!"

"Yeah, we'll see," Leo smiled, eating his food before it went cold. April stepped inside, her eyes settling on the turtles. "April! Wanna try my soup?"

"Sure, it smells good." April smiled as Leo stood to get her some. She then went to the couch and sat by Donnie and Mikey, messing with her fingers. She was nervous. She hoped that in this time she could finally get to tell Donnie what she wanted to say. When Leo came back with her food, Leo noticed her actions, freezing for a minute. He glanced at her light blue eyes, concerned. She didn't dare to look at Leo until she finally couldn't bare the feel of the gaze anymore and looked into his ocean blue eyes. He gave her the soup and stood up, going over to Mikey and Raph, whispering to them. Donnie hadn't noticed as he was still eating.

"Uh, we're gonna go outside and maybe, uh, spar or something," Leo announced.

"Don't you think you should wait a while? You guys just ate," Donnie pointed out. "You might feel queasy later. You shouldn't do exercises so quick."

"What he meant was, uh, maybe play around or something," Mikey tried to help. "Like, tell jokes or something!"

"We're going outside," Raph said with an annoyed sigh. He pushed out his older and youngest brother, whispering lowly to them, "You two are hopeless."

April and Donnie both ate in silence for a while, enjoying it. April always believed that if a friendship was close enough, that words didn't have to always fill up the space and the silence was very comforting, no awkwardness lingering. She sighed heavily, turning a bit to face Donnie more better. Donnie set his bowl aside and looked at April, waiting for her to speak, as he could notice something was on her mind. Before she could, April started laughing lightly, confusing Donnie. She brought her hand up to his face and smoothed her thumb over a corner of Donnie's lips, wiping away the bit of potato soup on his face. He smiled, embarrassed.

"That's embarrassing," Donnie laughed nervously, feeling his cheeks heat up.

"Awh, don't worry about it, it was just a little piece, Donnie," April smiled. "So, Don," April hesitated. "About what I've been trying to say."

"Mhm?"

"I just wanted to say that, you mean a lot to me. Whether I want you there or not, you're always right by my side through thick and thin. You're the kind of friend I've always wanted, and I thank you for that. No matter in the best or worst of times, you're always ready to help me in any way you possibly can. And even though I am learning ninjitsu, it's nice to know you're there to aid and protect me if I ever need it. It's nice to know that you'll always be there for me. I just wanted you to know that even though I might be mad or something comes up, I'll be there for you, too. I don't know how I would have made it these past few months without you there by my side, Donnie. I need you. And I'm sorry for all the times I might or have upset you. I know you're just trying to help me."

Donnie sat there, not knowing how to respond. When it came to April, surprises were always expected, but this threw him off. He thought that he should be the one to be thanking her and apologizing to her, for putting up with him and everything that he's put her through ever since they met. He was glad that he and April were close to tell each other how they felt. But the words wouldn't come out. When he saw April look like she said something wrong, he finally engaged in hugging her first, slowly embracing her. She was surprised but immediately hugged him back, glad that her words meant well to him.

"I feel like you shouldn't be apologizing, though, April. I mean, ever since you've met me, you've been through things that you shouldn't have been through, and I'm really sorry about that."

"Donnie, if we didn't meet, I would have been Kraang bait by now. I would have never gotten my dad back. I never would have known all the dangers that faced me in life. I never would have been prepared. Meeting you changed my life for the better, not the worst, please remember that."

"Okay," Donnie smiled, pulling April closer. "I will. You're the best, April."

"You are, Donnie. You are."

* * *

"Think they're having a serious talk in there? Did Donnie do something bad?" Mikey kept piling on the questions, wondering what Donnie and April could possibly be talking about. "Do you think they're talking about the whole Casey situation?"

"What situation about me?" Casey asked loudly, walking over. "Heard my name. Got something to say?"

"Not really," Mikey shrugged.

"I'd like to know."

"Don't harass my little brother, Casey," Leo snapped, stepping in front of Mikey. "It's enough you've been interrupting people's conversations. Well, April and Don's in particular."

"I'm tryna control that, Leo, honest. I don't know what makes me do it."

"You should try to figure it out, Jones, it makes you look childish," Raph added, shrugging when Casey glared. "Can't say it's not true."

"Yeah, well, I don't know why I do it and Don doesn't."

"Well, Donnie knows when to, yanno, not interrupt. He knows his boundaries," Raph said in an obvious tone.

"Anyways," Leo said to Mikey. "What do you wanna do?"

"Hmm," Mikey furrowed his eyes. "How about we knock cans off of the porch or something?"

"Do we have any empty cans?"

"I can go look," Mikey offered. "Oh, wait, Don and April. Maybe Don has some in the lab- he's in there a lot."

"Good idea, let's go look for some."

Leo and Mikey walked away from the arguing hot-heads and searched for any empty containers. Leo found some empty bottles in a corner of the shack, collecting them. Mikey gathered the empty energy drink cans from Donnie's lab desk, turning it upside down to let out any excess liquid. Once they felt they gathered enough, Leo and Mikey stepped back outside and set some on the tree stump, the pillars of the porch and on the top of the party wagon. Raph and Casey pause, watching and wondering what Leo and Mikey are doing. Mikey gathered some rocks and pebbles and handed some to Leo.

"What are you two bone-heads doing?" Raph asked, eyeing them curiously. When Leo threw the first rock and knocked a can off of the party wagon, Raph smiled deviously. "I want in."

"Think you can handle it?" Mikey smiled, throwing a pebble and knocking down a glass bottle. He heard it shatter, hissing slowly as he realized how loud it was. His eyes fell on Leo, who wasn't mad, but was rather laughing, trying to muffle his laughs.

"Can you do a replay, Mikey? I don't think that was loud enough," Raph snickered, grabbing some rocks from Mikey. "Lemme show ya how a pro does it." Raph threw a pebble, his aim really off and missing the displayed cans by a landslide. Mikey choked on his laugh, his cheeks hurting.

"Can you do a replay, Raph? I don't think that was far enough," Leo laughed, encouraging Mikey to do so as well. The two blue eyed brothers laughed harder until Raph threw some rocks at their plastrons, both making them stop and yelp, "Ow!"

"That oughta shut your traps," Raph smiled. "C'mon, Case, why don't ya kick down some cans?"

"Eh, sure, I'll show you turtles up!" Casey grinned, picking up some rocks from the ground. He threw a couple at the party wagon, most of them hitting the window and only one can being knocked down. He flushed immediately, trying again. He managed to knock down two cans in his next attempt, smirking at the three terrapins. "How about that?"

"Oh yeah, I wanna aim for the window," Raph mocked, throwing a rock without looking and managing to knock one down.

Mikey and Leo "ooh"d, entertained. Soon enough they were all looking away as they threw their rocks at the party wagon. When they only heard the rocks clanking on the car, they all stopped and saw that all the cans and bottles were knocked down, leaving the ones on the tree stump and the porch. They went for the cans and bottles on the tree stump, all doing a little cry as they all kept missing. Leo squinted his eyes and threw hard, smashing the only glass bottle on it to pieces right where it stood. Mikey let out a "woah" and aimed for a can on the side, cheering when it was knocked down. When Casey realized he hadn't knocked down any on the tree stump, he grunted and swiftly turned around on his heel, throwing a of his handful of rocks to the cans on the porch and winced as he heard the rocks knock against the window. The three turtles all stared blankly at Casey, hands on their hips. Casey became more angered and threw the rest of the rocks wherever, which was at the party wagon. The alarm set off, blaring loudly.

"What was that?" Donnie asked, rushing out. He was confused when he saw his brothers all staring at Casey, who was flushed. He noticed some soil and rocks on the porch by his feet, still confused but deciding against asking.

"Is everything okay?" April rushed out beside Donnie, looking at the porch. April stepped on a rock, jumping back and holding her foot up, hopping on one leg. "Hey, ouch!"

"April, you okay?" Donnie asked, looking at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why's the car going off?" April looked at Mikey, who darted his eyes away quickly. Raph whistled, insisting he knew nothing by his shrug, and Leo smiled blankly, tilting his head to Casey. "Casey, what's going on?"

"Nothing, Red, just coolin' off is all," Casey answered, an innocent smile plastered on his face.

"Really?" April asked, her stern stare making the turtles back up a bit. "You sure, Casey?"

"Yeah, Red, I'm sure."

"Hey, Casey, I forgot to tell you that I made some potato soup. There should still be some left in the kitchen, and I think it should still be warm enough," Leo brought up. "I saved you some and hid it from Mikey just in case he liked it."

"What? You hid some from me?"

"Shh," Leo smiled innocently. "You can get some if you want it."

"Uh," Casey stared at Leo confused. Leo furrowed his eyes and looked in Donnie's direction. "Oh, ye-yeah, I'll go get some now, thanks, Leo."

Casey walked over to the porch and walked in, excusing himself when he accidentally bumped Donnie against the door. He made himself a bowl and heated it up a bit in the microwave, realizing how hungry and tired he now was. Donnie strolled in, getting some milk. Casey hesitated before speaking, sucking in a quick breath. "Hey, Don."

"Mhm?" Donnie mumbled through gulps.

"I'm sorry for bein' such a puckhead. I told myself I wouldn't go in and barge in on you and April's talk just now. I swear I didn't do all that to stop you guys from talkin', I was bein' shown up by your brothers. You know how competitive I can be. So if you think I did it on purpose, I didn't."

"If you were doing it on purpose, you would have done it earlier, I know that. But it's fine, we were done talking anyways."

"Okay, that's good. What were you two chatting about?"

Donnie chuckled, setting down the now empty milk carton. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

* * *

April pulled Leo aside from the rock throwing competition. Leo looked down at her, tilting his head to the side like a confused cat.

"I don't mean to bug you about this, 'cause I know you're having fun laying low and healing and all, but when are we going to spar, Leo? I really want to practice. Sorry if that makes me selfish, but I really want to improve my kunoichi skills."

Leo sighed, looking away and into the abundance of trees. The wind blew against his green skin, giving him goosebumps on his arms and legs. He rubbed his arms with his hands, blowing out some air. He was enjoying his time just relaxing and having fun and spending time with his brothers, but he didn't notice at all that he was sidetracking his sparring session with April.

"Sorry about that, April. We'll do it tomorrow. Make sure of it that we do."

"I'm really sorry I brought this up," April immediately blurted out, seeing Leo's fun and happy expression fade into a serious one. "I just wanted to better my skills-"

"It's okay, April," Leo said in a positive tone, not moving his eyes away from the view. "Don't worry about it. We'll spar tomorrow. I'm just going to go prepare now."

"Okay," April sighed, rubbing her arm nervously. "Leo, seriously, if you don't think you're ready-"

"April," Leo said sternly. "It's fine. Really. I'm gonna go train now, okay?" He finally broke his gaze from the woods and onto her, once again placing his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. "Don't worry. Have someone help you practice or practice yourself. You're a very worthy opponent."

"Thanks, Leo," April smiled sadly. Leo pulled her in for a hug, rubbing her back.

"April, please don't feel bad. It's really okay."

"I know," April sighed. "I know."

"Then why are you feeling so down?" Leo asked, both his hands now grasping gently onto her forearms. "What is it?"

"I feel like I just ruined all your fun in just an instant. I could tell it by your face. It was from happy to, you know, serious."

"Do you think I'm mad?"

"Are you?"

"No."

"Are you lying?"

"No! April," Leo sighed, rubbing his hand down his face. "I don't know how to explain it. I didn't know I was setting it aside for so long, so I feel bad. I told myself my priority was to help you train, but with Raph being hurt, Mikey feeling lonely and Donnie's stress and all this stuff, it made me forget, and I feel ashamed about it. Honest. Things are just, you know, crazy."

"Yeah," April agreed. "I should have considered that, sorry."

"Don't sweat it," Leo smiled. April leaned against him, wrapping her arm around his neck. "But seriously, I get a feeling you're gonna probably kick my shell."

"We'll see," April giggled, walking back to the others. Leo once again looked at the woods, crossing his arms and sighing, nodding at the distance. He made his way toward the woods, closing his eyes.

"Yeah," he whispered to himself. "We'll see."


	25. Sparring with Leo

"All right, all right," April said in a tired tone, waving her hands forward. "Up the stairs, there you go, get some sleep so I can get some sleep, _please_."

"Geez, Red, what crawled up your back?" Casey joked, getting a snicker from Raphael. His smile faded when April inched her face toward his, a stern and an unamused look scaring the young vigilante. "Uh, what I meant was, uh, g-good night!"

"Mhm, that's what I thought," April mumbled, watching Michelangelo, Casey and Donatello walk upstairs in that order.

Mikey was rubbing his light, baby blue eyes tiredly, yawning and stretching his arms up. He smacked his lips, his eyes failing to stay open as he climbed the staircase. He stood still for a minute until Casey bumped into him, telling him to keep going. Casey was sleep deprived and it was finally getting to him- the sudden need to sleep, the feeling of his eyes drooping down, the heavy weight the gravity forced on him. He was eager to flop down on a bed and just have it go lights out. He was tired of sleeping in the car he was working on- he never got a good night's sleep in it. Donnie trudged up slowly, covering his mouth while yawning. He and April exchanged looks, both smiling at each other. Donnie gave her a quick hug, wishing her a good night's sleep before catching up to Mikey and Casey. They all shoved their way through the small opening of the first bedroom, the sounds of arguing lingering behind the door.

April laughed to herself, walking away and into the living room. She was ready to retire. Even though she had pretty much done nothing all day, she was finally aware of how exhausted she had been. She brushed her teeth, gave her hair a quick brushing and combing and removed her headband and her wrappings on her wrists, throwing them on the little table beside the couch. She slowly closed her eyes, quickly opening them when she heard some grunts coming her way. Leonardo and Raph were helping each other in the living room. Leo urged Raph to sit first, leading Raph to his designated couch chair. Leo threw a warm blanket over Raph, rubbing the top of Raph's head quickly before going to lay on the long couch. He fell down onto it and let out a heavy sigh, one hand on his chest and the other hanging loosely off of the couch. He shot up when he heard footsteps racing down the stairs and towards his way.

"Leo, I just remembered that you said I could get a turn on the Leo pillow tonight," Mikey panted, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "Is that offer still on the table?"

Leo nodded tiredly, waving his hand down toward him for Mikey to lay down on. Mikey smiled quickly and slowly laid next to Leo. Mikey topped his leg over Leo's and nuzzled close to his big brother, already absorbing Leo's heat. The two blue eyed siblings closed their eyes, both very comfortable and ready to sleep. Realizing that they had no blanket, Leo groaned, not wanting to move. He started sitting up, a little grunt escaping the youngest terrapin's lips. April quickly shot up and insisted Leo lay back down, covering the two with a long and fluffy blanket. Leo grazed his fingers over April's hand as a thank you gesture and quickly fell asleep. It was April's turn to get comfortable and sleep. She pulled the blanket she was sitting on out from under her and bundled up as she tucked herself in, nuzzling her head to the side of the couch chair. Her thoughts were racing, then the thought of sparring with Leo came to mind, then darkness.

* * *

_Donatello was walking through a loading dock, the sun just starting to rise. He went to the edge of the pier and sat down, his toes touching the cool water. The reflection of the sky in the water fascinated him- how the ripples of the water blended perfectly with the shape of the clouds and the bright orange/pink color of the sky complimenting it. His hands supporting him, his fingers hung off the side. It was warm. The kind of warm needed after a long period of storms or after a long while of nonstop sunshine. It was the kind of warm sensation that came from the thermal outside of a coffee cup that has slightly cooled down. The wind helping the ends of his mask dance, he felt at peace._

_The dock started shaking, but it ceased. He was confused at first, but brushed it off when it stopped. When it happened again, it was more harsh and made him clutch onto the pier. He jumped up to his feet, his stance in a battle position. He raised his fists, considering the option that a vehicle was nearby or on the docks. He squinted his brown/red eyes, looking around. He started walking slowly back up the pier, deciding to go back into the sewers before any of his brothers or his father would notice he were gone until the shaking came back harder than ever. It threw him off balance so much that he was waving his hands around, trying to stay on the pier and not fall in the cold water. The shaking increasing, he slowly felt his feet come off of the wooden surface and turned around, facing what was coming to him._

"...up, please..." A voice warbled quietly, his skin feeling cold in an instant. Donnie furred up his nose, trying to shake off the coldness. He felt the shaking coming back, not as violent as he remembered from perspective. His eyes slowly started to open, the bright light making him wince. He lifted his hand up to his face lazily, trying to open his eyes more. He glanced to his right, seeing the color of a dull yet bright yellow with a heap of white. Donnie blinked his eyes quickly to better his vision and looked up, seeing a glass of water tipping over and threatening to spill on him. Instinctively, he threw up his hand and knocked the glass away from him, shooting up and gritting his teeth. He didn't know who bothered to wake him but he wasn't very happy about it, he felt as if he only slept an hour.

"Mm, keep your shell on, would ya? I'm awake now," Donnie mumbled grumpily. His vision cleared up and he faced the one who dared to wake him, his face flushing.

"Sorry, Donnie," April whispered. "I know you like your sleep."

"Uh, yeah," Donnie replied, yawning. "Uh, sorry about that. What do you need? Something wrong?"

"I need you to help me train."

"I thought I already did-"

"No, not spar against me again. I meant, can you help me get ready to spar against Leo? We're going to spar today."

"Today? Why such short notice?" Donnie saw April bite down on her lip. "Unless you just didn't train yesterday- April!"

"I know, I know- I should have, but I really need to practice, Donnie," April whispered urgently. "Please, can you help me?"

"Uh," Donnie sighed, rubbing his hand down his face. "I guess since you managed to wake me up, sure. Did you try to shake me awake?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh," Donnie paused, connecting it to his dream. "No reason. Let's get to work, I suppose. I'm gonna need something to pep me up, though, you don't wanna deal with groggy Donnie."

"I figured," April said, a mug in her hand, some fresh steam rising from the top. "So, I made you coffee."

Donnie smiled softly, taking it from her and sipping it carefully. "Thank you, April."

April shrugged it off, a tender smile on her face. "Ahh, no biggie."

* * *

"Okay, you're going up against Leo." Donnie set down his fresh new coffee to the side, clasping his hands together. "Which is a huge deal. He's all about training and will do it anytime he can. He's very focused on learning new things about ninjitsu and trying his best to get what he's learned right. He is finesse. You, although, have an advantage on him- he is injured. You both are fully aware that this sparring session is supposed to help you become a better kunoichi, so the injury is acceptable to consider to be used against him if all looks unwell. What have you learned so far?"

"Well, I've learned to control my anger, I've learned to not always think of my every move, and I've learned that I need to improvise when all looks slim."

"Okay, that's good. Against Leo, that's very important. He's very skilled. Have you agreed on weapons?"

"We, uh, didn't get to that."

"Nonetheless." Donnie walked over to her and readied her in a position, setting her footing as it should be. "Okay. If you need time to plan a move, you can either jump back or block his blows. You know that already, right? So, let's see what you've got."

Donnie watched as April demonstrated the moves she learned and picked up so far, both back at home and from at the farmhouse. He was impressed when he saw her do a split kick, nodding his head in approval. She showed him the kind of blocks she learned, the 'sweeping off your feet' move, as Mikey liked to call it. When he saw it all, he practiced with her. He gave her a few pointers to help her out if she used them with Leo, and she quickly picked it up, as she was a quick learner. Donnie had no idea of the time, but if Leo wasn't awake by then, he could assume it was pretty early. The sun was barely up in the sky, so he assumed it was maybe 6 in the morning. Nonetheless, he practiced til he tired, making sure April wasn't so she wouldn't be too exhausted for the match. He sat down on the grass, wiping his brow and gulped down the rest of his coffee.

"Okay, that was excellent," Donnie panted, catching his breath. "Really good. You're prepared, April."

"Are you just saying that so you can go back to sleep?"

"No," Donnie laughed. "Although I still am pretty tired. But really, you've got nothing to worry about. You and Leo both know when to stop, so I doubt anyone will get seriously hurt."

"Yeah," April agreed hesitantly. Donnie sensed this, so he quickly looked up to her, confused. "I mean, what if I hurt his leg really bad?"

"You both know the risk. If he insisted it was okay, then it'll be okay, April. Don't worry."

"Okay, I know, I know," April told herself, waving her hands over her to help her breathe. "Should I go to sleep for a little bit or just stay awake?"

"Uh," Donnie raised his finger, then slowly put it down, chuckling bashfully. "You're not really talking to me, are you?"

"Huh?"

"I'm heading in for a nap," Donnie said, standing up and grabbing the empty mug. He mindlessly gave April a side hug, walking to the farmhouse. "You should, too."

* * *

With Mikey's constant stirring, Leo couldn't do it anymore- he couldn't manage to go back to sleep. He didn't want to move because that would wake up Mikey, but he was extremely uncomfortable. _'Guess this is the con to being so comfortable,'_ Leo thought to himself, chuckling a bit. This made Mikey move again, so Leo quickly stopped, sighing heavily. Leo's eyes wanted so badly to close shut, but his mind was wide awake, so many thoughts bouncing around. The one thought that stood out- the uncomfortability in his leg. He looked down at his legs, seeing that Mikey had wrapped one of his legs around Leo's bum leg. He gritted his teeth, trying to keep in the discomforted groans from escaping his lips as he slowly tried to slide it out from Mikey's leg. Only managing to slide out his knee from Mikey's clutch, he again sighed, but frustrated.

"Anyone awake?" Donnie whispered loudly into the living room, hearing the sigh.

"Uhm," was all Leo could manage, trying not to groan. He sucked in quick breaths, trying to cease the pain. Donnie walked over, looking at the situation. "Uh, hey."

"Morning," Donnie said slowly, seeing the extreme discomfort and pain in Leo's expression. "What's wrong?"

"Leg," Leo whispered fiercely. Donnie looked down and let out a little grunt, grabbing onto Mikey's leg and slowly moving it to the side. Once it was off, Leo moved his leg around and lay it in a comfortable position, letting out a now relieved sigh. "Thanks," he yawned.

"Why don't you try to get some more sleep? It's only about half 'til 7."

"I would really love to, but Mikey keeps moving around. I don't wanna wake him." Leo rubbed his eyes, turning to his side. "Wait, why are you up so early?"

"April wanted me to help her practice- for your sparring session with her today."

"Oh, okay."

"Something wrong? Are you not feeling up for it today?"

"Nothing's wrong, I just want to sleep."

"Leo, we both know you- once you're up, you can't really go back to sleep."

"I know," Leo sighed, grabbing his head. "Stupid me."

"Tell you what, how about I make you some coffee before I go back to sleep?"

"Sure, Don," Leo said. "That'd be great."

Donnie yawned, walking into the kitchen and started up some coffee. He filled it up with water and closed the tap, setting it on the stove and turning up the fire to medium. He bent down and folded his arms on the counter, resting his head and deciding to rest his eyes for the time being. Meanwhile, Leo folded and linked his hands on top of his plastron, waiting for the boost of energy to come. He didn't want to be awake and feel groggy and tired, he wanted to feel at least wide awake. Leo smacked his lips, trying to distract himself as he waited patiently. Soon after, the coffee maker got hot enough for it to start whistling softly. Leo could hear it from the living room and wondered why Donnie hadn't turned off the fire. The whistling grew louder and Leo feared it would wake everyone else who was sleeping in the house.

When it reached its highest noise level possible, Leo couldn't bear it. He pressed his hands on the sides of his head. After minutes passed and it kept whistling, Leo groaned and slowly slid himself out from Mikey's grasp, feeling bad that he couldn't suffice to comfort Mikey for the rest of his slumber. He grabbed his wooden crutch and quickly went into the kitchen, turning the dial to "off" and catching his breath. He growled to himself when he saw Donnie knocked out on the counter, but realized that Donnie loves to sleep whenever he can, so he softened his stern expression. He shook Donnie's shoulder lightly.

"Hey, go upstairs," Leo cooed, realizing his voice was husky. "C'mon, Don, get up."

"Mm," Donnie mumbled. "I'm fine right here."

"Really. On the counter."

"Wha?" Donnie opened his eyes, looking up at a smug yet stern Leo, confused. He looked around and shot up. "Oh, shoot."

"I'll just make coffee myself, don't worry about it. Go sleep."

"Ya sure?" Donnie said as he was already making his way upstairs.

"Oh, I insist," Leo laughed. He heard some footsteps linger his way and saw a very tired Mikey, the guilt rushing back. "Oh, Mikey, I'm sorry."

"For what?" Mikey yawned.

"For leaving you there. Donnie fell asleep on the counter and I had to get up and turn off the coffee maker."

"Leo, it's no biggie. I slept awesome anyways. How about you."

"Oh, I, uh," Leo smiled innocently. "Slept okay. Want some coffee?"

"Mhm," Mikey smiled. "Who were you talking to?"

"Oh, Donnie. He was supposed to make me coffee but he, yanno." Leo laughed a bit.

"Oh, oh, yeah," Mikey smiled, rubbing his head. "My head hurts a lot, Le-Le."

Leo froze a bit when he heard Mikey call him that. He hadn't heard that since they were tots. He turned around and looked down, a little smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Why don't we get some ibuprofen for you, Mikey."

"Ewh, pills," Mikey groaned. "Don't we have anything else?"

"I don't wanna give you that medicine for when you're sick, 'cause you're not."

Mikey groaned as Leo pulled out the bottle of ibuprofen pills. Leo would have usually pulled out asprin, but Mikey didn't like taking it. Leo pushed down and twisted the cap, opening it and shaking it, letting one pill pop out. He sealed and put up the bottle, grabbing a glass of water for his little brother. Mikey sighed, holding out his hand for the pill. Leo slid it on Mikey's hand and watched as Mikey put it in his mouth, quickly grabbing the water and gulping it down. Mikey let out a heavy sigh, making a face at the distaste of the pill. Leo started making his coffee while he still could, putting in 2 spoons of coffee and poured some caramel creamer, taking a sip and letting out a satisfied 'ahh.' He glanced out the window and saw April practicing by herself, straightening his posture.

"Something crawlin' up your shell, bro?" Mikey asked, noticing Leo's quick tension.

"Oh, uh, not really, nah."

"Ya sure? You're kinda stuttering."

"Oh, it's just April and I are sparring today, that's all. I practiced the rest of the day yesterday and I still don't feel ready."

" _You_ don't feel ready?" Mikey asked, baffled.

"Yeah, well. I don't know."

"I can help you practice, if you want, since we're both up."

"You don't have to, you should go back to sleep. It's early."

"Nah, come on! Some good ol' bro time oughta make you feel better, and we're training! You love me and training!" Mikey playfully punched Leo's arm multiple times, bouncing on his feet.

"Okay, okay," Leo agreed, smiling. "Let me just finish this coffee, okay?"

"Hurry up then, slow poke," Mikey smiled, running outside. Leo smiled, sighing and drinking his coffee. He hoped he would feel ready soon.

* * *

Throwing punches, sending kicks flying, her body spinning in the air, April practiced every move she picked up and learned, the air her enemy at that moment. Little grunts and cries escaped her parted lips, her body feeling energized and in sync with itself. She tried the split kick once again, landing on her knees and palms on the firm earth, the grass brushing against her hands. She let herself catch a break, collapsing on the ground on her backside and spreading out her arms, buckling her knees up. She heard the front door open and glanced over, seeing Mikey step out first, then rushing back to escort Leo out. She sat up, watching as they walked around and settled in a part of the yard. She wondered why they were up so late.

"Hey, what are you guys up to?" April asked, walking over to them with her hand waving.

"Hey, April! Didn't know you were awake," Mikey said, smiling at her, his freckles complimenting his cheerful smile.

"Yeah, here I am," April smiled. "I'm wondering why you two are awake so early. Well, Mikey, mainly."

"Not like I'm here or anything," Leo joked, smiling playfully. April shoved him lightly.

"I heard Leo talking to someone and then I woke up. Man, is Leo a comfy pillow! Anyways, I'm helping Leo practice, for your sparring session with him today!"

"Oh," April said, glancing at Leo, whose eyesight was directed elsewhere as he rubbed his arm bashfully. "I thought you already trained yesterday?"

"Well, wouldn't hurt to practice a bit more, I always say," Leo replied, shrugging. "You're real competition, April."

"Oh my god," April said, stepping towards the leader. "Are you... scared?"

"What?" Leo baffled. "I'm not scared! I'm just, uhm, nervous, I guess you could say..."

"I'm just joking, Leo, calm down. I'm nervous too, don't worry. Just name when you're ready. We could spar now if you want? Just get it over with?"

"No, that's okay, I don't feel ready enough yet. Do you?"

"I suppose not. Guess I should keep practicing, huh?"

"Donnie told me you woke him up just to train. I think you should give yourself a break. There's still some hot water in the coffee maker if you want some coffee."

"I'll go do that." April headed for the farmhouse, looking back and watching as Leo and Mikey positioned themselves. The two blue eyed terrapins eyed her, both giving her a small wave before they started. She saw how swift and keen Leo was as he sparred, his blows and defense moves very effective. She forced herself to look away, not wanting to spike up how anxious she was. She yelped when a hand laid on her arm. "Wha- what are you doing up so early?"

"You look tense, Red," Casey replied, not acknowledging her question. "Something up?"

"No," she quickly answered. "It's nothing, really. Want some coffee since you're up? Why are you awake? It's not nice to ignore a question."

"Oh, sorry about that. I dunno, Don came in and he just fell on the bed, and it was loud, so it woke me up. I asked him why he was up so early, 'cause yanno Don doesn't really get up that quick, and he said he was helpin' ya train, and he asked, if you said yeah, if I could help ya if you needed it. And yeah, coffee would be cool."

"Well, Leo said I should give myself a break, I've been at it for a while. But when my little 'break' is done, sure, it'd be nice if you could help me. Seeing your face in the dirt would really boost up my confidence, Jones," April smiled, feeling smug. "Let's whip up that coffee for you."

"Leo's up? Is he trainin' by himself again?"

"No, Mikey's helping him."

"Mikey's awake? Wow, today is startin' off real weird."

"Today just feels long already, and it's not even noon." April poured the hot water into two mugs and made herself coffee the way she liked it. She asked Casey how she should make his, and when it was done, she handed him his mug, watching as his blank expression lifted with a satisfied grin. "You didn't try going back to sleep?"

"Eh, I tried to, but I felt like I slept for like a million hours in such a little amount. Ever get that kind of sleep? It feel awesome."

"Yeah, those are one of the best sleeps."

The two teenagers stood in silence, the only noises to fill it were the sips from each other. Casey tugged at the collar of his shirt, feeling somewhat warm. He cleared his throat and looked at April. One leg crossed over the other, an arm supporting her balance as she leaned onto the counter. Some strands of her hair falling in her eyes and the sun detailing her features, Casey's mouth formed a little comforted and warm smile. He sighed, sliding his hand through his hair. "So, April."

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to, uh, say sorry, for butting in on you and Don's talks lately."

"What was the deal with that, by the way?" April asked, intrigued of the conversation. She was so focused on her and Leo's sparring session that this event slipped her mind.

"I dunno," Casey shrugged, his mind troubling him. "It's just, I dunno. You know how me and Don argue a lot."

"Mhm."

"I guess my brain just wanted to see him mad? I don't really know. It was stupid, real stupid."

"You're tellin' me," a voice boomed, making the two teens jump and freeze. Raph poked his face in for a moment, a satisfied grin making Casey squirm. "Talk a little louder, Jones, I don't think I heard ya loud enough. Anyways, mornin'. Ooh, coffee!" Raph quickly made himself a cup and strolled out, glancing back for a moment. "Oh, carry on." Casey and April watched as he strolled out of the house, running over to his brothers.

"Right. Anyway," Casey continued. "I was a real, uh, dick. So, I'm sorry."

"Casey." April folded her arms. "It's okay, but don't call yourself a dick."

"Really?" Casey asked, startled. "It's okay?"

"You know you messed up big and hopefully you learn from it, so yeah. It's okay. So are you and Donnie on good terms now?"

"Yeah," Casey smiled. "We're good."

* * *

Time passed slowly for everyone that remained awake, but soon it was afternoon. It was warm, the comfortable warm. Raph and Mikey were roughhousing, laughing and tumbling around as Casey laughed in amusement. Donnie finally rose and was talking to April, cracking a joke and informing her on how far he's gotten with his experiments. Leo stood a bit far, just taking in the beauty and the weird feeling of the day as he glanced at his family. His hands on his hips and feeling confident that he wasn't using his crutch at the moment, he leaned against the farmhouse, tilting his head down and closing his eyes.

"Hey, fearless, asleep there?" Leo jumped, his eyes setting on Raph. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"You sayin' that for my sake or are ya really?"

"I am, really. Feeling better than I did earlier."

"That's good, bro. But, April can kick butt. I mean, Casey has more dirt in his mouth lately than usual."

Leo laughed, shoving Raph playfully. "I know, she's gotten really well in her training, even without Splinter."

Raph sighed, looking down quickly so Leo couldn't see the flash of hurt on his face. He looked up, his brother's gaze to the ground. "Hey, it'll be okay."

"I should be saying that to you. You, Donnie, Mikey and April saw it happen. I have no idea. But I'm still hoping he's out there. He's gotta be."

"For this family's sake, I hope your gut is right. Listen, don't feel so nervous. You're still the annoying big brother I know. I gotcha up on your feet, didn't I?"

"Hehe, yeah, you did," Leo smiled. "Thanks, Raph. Guess I should keep this to myself, huh?"

"Look at the teacher's pet, learnin' so quick," Raph teased, giving Leo a little slap on the shell before walking away. Leo eventually followed, walking up to April. April and Donnie paused their conversation, both looking up at the terrapin.

"Hey, uhm, sorry to interrupt, but, I kinda feel up for it now, if you are."

Donnie looked at April, seeing that she was a bit worried. Donnie placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring nod. Inhaling sharply, April looked back up at Leo. "Sure, let's do it while we still feel like it."

Leo offered his hand out to her. April took it and grunted as Leo helped her up, both of them walking into an empty spot of the vast yard. Mikey perked up and sat next to Donnie, practically bouncing as he watched Leo and April distance themselves. Raph stood behind his two younger brothers, arms crossed across his plastron. Casey joined, just as excited as Mikey was, but he chose to not express it. Leo and April stared at each other for a while, feeling each other's anxiousness. April grabbed at her weapon airily, giving Leo a questioning look. They hadn't decided if weapons would be used. Leo nodded, wanting the sparring session to be as real for her as possible. He pressed his hands together and breathed steadily, easing his nerves. April gulped, slowly positioning herself into a battle stance, making sure her footing was firm. After a minute or so, Leo readied himself, waiting for her to make a move or to feel ready enough to make the move.

Just as he felt he should make the move, April was charging towards him. He was taken aback for a moment as she was so swift and sudden. He leaped back just in time before she could deliver a blow. He grunted, seeing that she was, in fact, very prepared. His gaze turned serious, ready to retaliate anytime. She grunted, charging again and managing to punch him on the shoulder. Leo balled his hands into fists, his knuckles popping. He raised his fists, his footing moving a bit every time April delivered a blow, which he defended himself with by an arm block. She decided to go for kicks now. She raised her leg and kicked Leo in the stomach area, making him stumble back a bit. She was a bit surprised that her blow was that effective but quickly collected herself.

Leo groaned, his knee starting to buckle on him. He moved it around, trying to not have anything hold him back. He decided just blocking wasn't going to get him anywhere or expand April's training, so he decided it was high time to strike back. April thrust her arm towards him, expecting to blow him. He grabbed her arm and threw her back, exchanging glances with her. They both nodded at each other, giving each other what they got. April jumped up and was ready to kick, only being thrown back as Leo raised his arm and blocked her and pushed her back. She came charging again, kicking him in the back of his shell. He leaped and bent down, kicking her feet from under her.

"That's the way to sweep her off her feet!" Mikey yelled, receiving a little look from Donnie. Raph cackled under his breath, giving his little brother a quick high five.

April huffed, standing up and reaching in her back pocket, pulling out her tessen. Leo was startled. She let out a little cry as she advanced, her tessen at the ready. She struck many times, some blows being blocked and others landing on his shell. She struck with much force on one try and managed to cut Leo some, hearing a hiss from him. He narrowed his eyes, finally charging towards her and landing a successful blow on her side. They were at it for a long time, only April using her weapon. Leo pulled out a katana and stopped her tessen from striking him, their weapons scratching each other. Such force was in their arms that their weapons slid off of each other and their weapons flew from their hands. Leo pulled out his other katana, swishing his katana around with no success (as he hoped for; he didn't want to harm her seriously) as she ducked and jumped away from the sharp blade.

She kicked her foot up and watched as she saw his other weapon knock out of his hands. Leo let out a heavy breath, deciding it was time for a kick. He leaped in the air and struck his foot out, about to kick April and send her down. She used both of her arms to block herself, and it worked. But, as Leo's leg's force and April's block force connected, it all went up his leg and into his knee, feeling the sudden and sharp, intense pain in his knee. He let out a loud scream, falling down. As by instinct, his hands wrapped around his leg and he let out pained noises. April quickly bent down to Leo's side, her breathing hard and heavy.

"Leo! I'm so sorry, are you okay?" April asked, afraid to touch the turtle. "Do you want to stop?"

Hearing the concerned cries from his brothers and knowing they were starting to get up, he pushed himself up enough to look at his younger brothers. He glanced at April, her hands hovering over him, and back to his brothers. Casey's mouth was wide open, his eyes widened as he slowly started to make his way toward him. Leo shook his head, gritting his teeth and digging his fingers in the earth. "No, stop," he muttered, his voice failing him. "Don't come over here," he said at a normal level, grunting as he heard the stampede of feet grow louder in sound. "Don't- I, stop!" Leo yelled, stopping them in their tracks. "I'm fine, I'm okay, just," he breathed, trying to collect himself. He raised his hand out. It was wide open and his fingers were spread out, signalling them to stop in their tracks. "I'm okay, I'm okay," he said loudly enough for them to hear. "It's fine."

"Leo? Leo!" Mikey called out, worried.

"Leo, you can call it if you want!" Donnie said, not wanting Leo to worsen his leg.

Leo heard footsteps approaching. He sighed, not wanting to repeat his words. He looked down and closed his eyes tightly, trying to settle his breathing. He felt a hand on his shoulder, then a little squeeze after. He refused to look up. He felt defeated by his own body, betrayed, even. He was at odds against his own form, his own body, and it wasn't doing him any good. He didn't know how much longer he could put up with it, how much longer he could deal with the demotion of his role as leader and a proper brother and friend. It was getting to him too quick, too soon. He felt the slither of sunlight fade away with the cold and brisk feel of a shadow. The grasp on his shoulder was big and firm. He knew it was one of his brothers, but he didn't know who.

"Hey. Remember what we agreed on. We can't push ourselves. Is this pushing yourself, or can you pull through this?"

"Raph, I don't know. I don't know," Leo whispered harshly, hot tears forming. "I honestly don't. What do I do?"

"Out of all the times I want to help you real bad, I can't, Leo. This is on you. Are you pushing yourself, or do you know you can do this without going over the edge?" Raph whispered, sensing that Leo wanted the conversation to be private, very private. "You have to answer yourself. But we're all here for you with whatever you decide."

Leo desperately tried to make his tears fade away without cascading down his face, and what seemed like forever, the tears went away. Raph started to rub Leo's shell soothingly to help him relax, hopefully. Leo slowly opened his eyes, looking down at the tightly clenched bundles of grass in his hands. He slowly loosened his grip, controlling his breathing. He slowly moved his knee around, seeing if it was okay enough to continue. With pangs of pain surging through it as he tried to move it, Leo bit down hard on his lip. He tried time and time again, waiting for the pain to at least lessen in the slightest bit. Leo raised his head a bit, but only to look at Raph, who was already looking down at him. His brother's bright green orbs gave him a little comfort, easing his tension.

"I can pull through."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay then." Raph stood up, holding his hand down to Leo. Leo sat up on his knees, fighting against the pain in his knee. He wouldn't let it stop April's needed training. He wouldn't let her down. He wouldn't let himself down. No matter how hard the internal conflict was, he was determined to fight against it for as long as he could. Leo grabbed onto Raph's hand, slowly standing up. Raph offered for Leo to slide his arm around his neck, but Leo refused, wanting to stand on his own. After he did, he glanced over at April, whose face was flushed. He walked over to where one of his katanas were and picked it up along with April's tessen. He walked back to her, opening her hand and dropping her weapon in it. She looked up at Leo.

"Leo," she said quietly. "We don't have to."

"You're getting a fair fight and winning by winning. Do not feel guilty."

April managed to have a little smile tug at a corner of her lips, closing and wrapping her fingers around her weapon. Leo looked back at Raph and nodded, making Raph smile. Raph walked back to where he was before and reassured his little brothers and Casey that all was well. Leo and April distanced themselves and soon charged at each other, weapons clashing, blows striking, blocks sending the other one back flying. While fighting externally, Leo fought internally, and it was as if it was the biggest fight yet. Time passed and April progressed quickly. She leaped and kicked hard, with all the force possible, at Leo's torso, sending him back and tumbling around in the dirt. Leo panted and looked at her from the long distance, a smile on his face. He stood up and put his weapons in his clothed scabbards in his belt, walking towards April.

"Congratulations, April. In no time, you're gonna be a great kunoichi. When Splinter's done teaching you all you need to know, I know you're gonna be great."

"Thank you, Leo." April wrapped her arms around Leo, hugging him tightly. She was thankful that despite the big challenge he faced against himself, Leo sparred against her until she defeated him. "Thank you so much."

"No problem," he replied, hugging her back, but with not as much strength as she was putting into it. He was exhausted, and the overwhelming pain in his knee was slowly creeping back up. He broke the hug and smiled at her, walking away. The rest of the turtles and Casey ran up to her, congratulating her and cheering her on, excited for her. Donnie and Casey both hugged her, which was quickly broken up by an excited Mikey, stealing their hug and actually getting a hug in return. Raph looked at her, giving her a proud smile. She smiled back, her attention again going back to the eager bunch.

While everyone was caught up in April's success, Raph watched Leo slowly making his way to the house, seeing that Leo's bad leg was stiff as he walked off. Raph's little smile faded, slowly walking to the house behind Leo. Leo made his way up the stairs, his hand clenching down at his leg. He practically jumped in the house and let out a loud grunt as he entered, quickly making his way to his chair by the fireplace and sitting down. He removed his knee pads as quick as he could and bent down, wrapping his fingers around his knee and rocking it back and forth. Cold sweat started forming on his forehead as he managed to swallow down the agonized screams down his throat, the only comfort being the fire.

"Get your hands off of your knee, Leo," Raph said firmly, looking down at Leo. Leo shook his head fiercely, his teeth starting to grind from such force of gritting in his mouth. "Leo, I'm not gonna say it again. Don't make me do it for you."

"Just wait, okay?" Leo asked, his voice raspy. "Just, hold on."

"I want you to hold on," Raph replied, making Leo confused. Leo looked up. "I want you to hold this heating pad on your knee."

"Shouldn't I wait for the pain to just go away or something?"

"Look, I'm no doctor or a genius like Don, but he isn't here right now. I'm just thinking of stuff that might help. That fire isn't gonna do you much."

"How'd you know," Leo started, grabbing onto the heating pad and pressing it down onto his knee. "That it was bothering me?"

"How you walked away. Stiff leg, your hands were all clenched and stuff. You're not the best at hiding that."

Leo looked into the fire, focusing on it. The pain was still almighty, but it was a bit lessened. Raph pulled up a stool and sat in front of his brother, just staring at him. Leo sighed a bit, closing his eyes and tilting his head down. Raph had a little frown tugged at the side of his mouth, not knowing what to do. He for sure wanted to help Leo, but he didn't know how.

"How about you?"

"What?"

"Your pain. How about your pain, Raph?"

"Oh. Not as bad as yours, I can say."

"Good."

"Feeling a bit better, Leo?"

"Yeah."

"Leg still hurt?"

"Mhm."

Raph knew that one worded answers were not a good sign. Raph stood up and headed back outside, leaving Leo alone. Thinking Raph was fed up with it, Leo buried his face in his hands, frustrated. If it was bad for him, it was worse for the others, he'd always think. And it seemed that it was starting. Raph saw that April and Casey were chatting, sharing a laugh, and his two younger brothers were separated. Donnie in his lab, per usual, but happy and satisfied, and Mikey messing around with his padded gear, adjusting it around. Raph walked up to Mikey and tugged on his arm gently, grabbing the youngest turtle's attention. Mikey looked up, expecting Raph wanting to roughhouse, so he jumped up and raised his fists, jumping side to side.

"Mikey, I need your help."

"Help?" Mikey questioned, ceasing his action. "With what? Are you hurting?"

"I'm really fine, actually. I feel almost like myself. But, never mind that. I need you to help me out with Leo."

"Why, is he okay? Did he fall or something? Oh no, I-"

"Lemme finish, huh? He's really bummed. Not about losing or anything, I know he's not doubting that and he's real happy for April. His leg is getting to him. Do you have any ideas on what we can do?"

"Uhm, we could help him try to make the pain go down?" Mikey shrugged, conflicted. "I don't know. I'm stuck."

"Mikey, he's doing one worded answers."

"No," Mikey whispered ghastly. "Oh, man. Uh, we could do the s'more thing? It made him really feel better!"

"Yeah, okay, we can do that. Get Don in on it, okay?"

"What about April and Casey?"

"They look like they're caught up in a real fun conversation. We don't have to bother them. They can come in if they wanna, but I'm not gonna make them. He needs us before he gets, like, real sad for a long time."

"Okay, I'm gonna go find the stuff," Mikey said, turning towards the house. "Hey Raph?"

"Yeah?"

"This is real nice of ya."

"Go on already," Raph smiled a bit, waving Mikey off. Mikey nodded, giving his hotheaded brother a quick smile before he ran off. Raph strolled inside the shack and walked behind Donnie, whose tongue was sticking out as he was in major focus. "Donnie."

"Wha- Raph! God, you almost scared me in my shell!" Donnie exclaimed, catching his breath. Noticing Raph's serious expression, he turned his chair around to face him. "What is it?"

"We need to help Leo."


	26. S'mores!

Running into the kitchen as quietly as he could without getting the attention of his brother, Michelangelo gathered the little amount of materials he needed for the issue at hand. He looked out the window, watching as his two other older brothers made their way to the house. Mikey bit down on his lip, glancing at Leonardo, who was just staring into the fire, not moving an inch with the exception of his chest as he breathed. Mikey tilted his head to the side a bit, letting out a little sad sigh. He hoped that this would help his brother. Raphael and Donatello joined Mikey in the living room.

"Got it all?" Raph asked in a whisper.

"Mhm," Mikey nodded, arms full of it. "Man, I hope this helps."

"It helped a lot last time," Donnie pointed out, a gleam of hope rushing through him. "Let's see if it helps again."

The three terrapins nodded at each other. They insisted Mikey go first, which made the youngest turtle gulp. He slowly approached Leo, nervously watching him. Leo finally turned his head to where he could look at Mikey, a little questioning look on his face.

"Hey, uh, mind if I make a s'more really quick, bro?" Mikey asked, his voice cracking. He didn't know why he was so nervous, he just was.

"Okay," Leo nodded, looking back into the fire, watching as some of the flames faded and others just sparking about. Mikey sat down, crossing his legs, and spread out the box of graham crackers, the bag of big puffy marshmallows, and some of the chocolate bars he had stashed in a secret place. Mikey grabbed one of the thin metal bars from the fireplace, sticking a marshmallow in it. He leaned toward the fire, roasting the marshmallow. He then pulled it out when it was a bit golden brown, blowing on it. Looking down to put it on the graham cracker, he noticed he didn't open the box yet.

"Uhm, Leo, do you think you could open the box really quick?" Mikey asked, flashing an innocent smile.

"Sure," Leo replied, reaching down for the box. He burrowed his finger under the top flap, sliding it across and opening it smoothly. He opened a package for Mikey, handing it down to him. "Here."

"Thank you," Mikey chirped, wiping his marshmallow on one of them. He then slid on the chocolate, licking his lips as he saw it slowly melt.

"Whatcha makin', little brother?" Raph asked, approaching his blue eyed brothers. "Some lunch for me? Awh, ya shouldn't have."

"I wasn't," Mikey hissed, pulling his s'more close to him. "You can make your own lunch."

"Harsh," Donnie boomed, taking a seat next to Mikey. "Guess that goes for me too, huh?"

"You can manage to feed yourself, can't you, genius?" Mikey asked sarcastically, earning a little elbow nudge. Mikey giggled, biting into his s'more. "Mmm," Mikey hummed, his smile growing. "This is so gooood."

"Make way," Raph insisted, already roasting his marshmallow. "I can make a better one."

"Uh huh, okay," Mikey shrugged. "Raph, what are you doing?!"

"What?"

"Your marshmallow- it's black! Pull it out!"

"Why?" Leo asked, tilting his head to the side a bit. Surprised he joined in on the conversation, the three turtles paused for a moment. "Mikey?"

"Uh, well, it gets burnt, Leo," Mikey answered. "And the taste is blah!"

"Nah, it makes it really gooey. It makes the s'more better," Leo insisted. Mikey smiled as Leo lengthened his speech. "I mean, c'mon."

"Psht," Mikey waved off. "It's better golden brown."

"Ooo-kayy," Leo said, shrugging. "If you say so. But it's better having it as gooey as possible."

"See, Leo gets it," Raph said, slapping his hand on the shell of the youngest terrapin. "He knows where the magic happens."

"I think it's better to have a chew," Donnie argued. "I mean, that's the point of a s'more, ins't it?"

"Heck no," Raph said, looking at Donnie funny.

"Mikey, can you hand me one?" Leo asked, grabbing a metal stick. "You guys made me hungry."

"Okey dokey," Mikey nodded, handing Leo some marshmallows. "Just in case you want more than one- I know how you are with sugar."

"In that case, give me some graham crackers," Leo said, holding his hand out. "Anyways, the point of a s'more is to make it as messy as possible."

"Having it _messy_?" Donnie asked, cringing. "No, no, Leo, it's the point of the crunch. The more you chew it, the more good it tastes."

"Eating messy things is fun _and_ delicious," Raph said, wanting to prove his point. "You two knuckleheads oughta know this."

"Hey!" Mikey and Donnie said in unison, glaring playfully at Raph.

"Fine! We'll try yours, and you two try ours," Mikey challenged. "See whose is better."

"Sounds good to me," Leo said, sliding his marshmallow onto his graham cracker. "If it isn't good," Leo said, pausing and tapping his chin. A devious smile grew on his face. Leo looked down at Raph and gave him a little wink, starting to continue. "If we don't like it as much as ours, we get to smother a melted marshmallow on your faces."

"Leo!" Raph said, a big flashy smile on his face. "I like the way you think. Yes! We are totally gonna do that to you two."

"No fair!" Mikey yelped. "If we don't like yours, you guys-"

"-gotta let us smear melted chocolate on your faces," Donnie finished, high fiving Mikey.

"Deal!" The turtles said in unison, exchanging s'mores.

Leo took the first bite, sinking his teeth into the s'more. The marshmallow was still so fluffy and chewy that some got on his lips. He struggled to spread his lips apart from each other, the marshmallow very sticky. He tried rubbing it away, but it made it worse. Leo still ate it, liking the taste, but not as much as his own. Mikey took two bites and already his mouth was messy- melted chocolate and melted marshmallow on the corners of his mouth and on his upper lip. He tried licking away as much as possible, groaning as he made little progress. Though he did like how the taste melted in his mouth, he liked it fluffy even more. Leo and Mikey exchanged looks, both smirking at each other. Leo mouthed 'you're a goner', making Mikey laugh and nod in agreement.

Donnie shivered in delight as the melted marshmallow and melted chocolate filled his mouth, his tastebuds practically jumping. He loved how quickly the taste came to him and how long it lasted, letting out a satisfied 'ahh' as he gulped it down. He reluctantly nodded at Raph, who enjoyed having to take constant bites into his s'more. They exchanged looks and nodded in agreement that they liked one another's. They glanced at their blue eyed brothers, who both had mischievous smirks on their faces.

"Miiikeeeyy," Leo said in a sing-song tone, standing up. He grabbed the gooey and warm marshmallow, preparing to smother it on Mikey's face.

"Leeeoooo," Mikey said back, smiling innocently as his calloused fingertips held two pieces of chocolate.

Before he knew it, Leo shot up out of his chair and leaped toward Mikey. Mikey let out a yelp and quickly scooted backwards, struggling to get up. Leo grabbed one of Mikey's ankles, earning a roaring laugh from his little brother. Mikey managed to get his foot free from Leo's grasp and stood up, laughing at Leo. Leo hopped up and started running for Mikey, chasing him through the house 'til Mikey darted out of the house. Leo let out a heavy huff of breath, determined to get his brother. He darted out of the house, going after Mikey. Raph and Donnie exchanged excited looks, running out to the porch and watched.

Mikey had the chocolate pieces melting down his fingers. He glanced behind himself for a moment, seeing that Leo was very close. He picked up his pace, making a beeline for the side of the house. Leo narrowed his eyes down challengingly, deciding that maybe using training to his advantage. He rushed behind a tree, watching as Mikey continued running. He darted for the other side of the house, blending in with the shadow and awaited for Mikey to approach. Mikey looked behind him and saw that Leo was no where in sight, stopping in his tracks. He looked around, watching for a sign of his very-well trained brother. He looked in the shadows, seeing a bit of movement. Before Leo could get him, Mikey jumped out of the way, a smug smile on his face as he started running again. Leo growled under his breath.

"Missed me! I didn't know we could cheat!" Mikey yelled out behind him, running as fast as he could around the house.

"We didn't even make any rules!" Leo yelled back, his breath hitching as he ran faster.

His leg was surprisingly not bothering him, giving him a boost of confidence. Leo dug his toes into the dirt and leaped off of the ground a bit, quickly gaining behind Mikey as he landed. When he was close enough, Leo bent his legs and jumped, reaching his hands out and tackling his little brother. They both rolled around for a moment, the grass making them itchy and a bit wet. They struggled to stop, just throwing their limbs around to try to strike each other. When they finally stopped rolling, they immediately smeared their 'weapons' on each other's faces. Mikey stuck out his tongue as the marshmallow covered his face. Leo managed to pull up Mikey's mask, getting some around Mikey's eyes. Mikey smothered the chocolate on Leo's nose, mouth and cheeks. Leo puffed out his cheeks, squeezing his eyes shut as Mikey's hand slipped and got chocolate on his neck. When they were done, the two turtles started laughing at how the other was very messy.

"You guys are a mess!" Donnie said, laughing.

"Man, and I thought I was rough," Raph said, a satisfied smile on his face. "You two dorks got each other good."

"We really did, huh?" Leo said, pushing himself up on his feet. He offered his messy hand down to Mikey, a warm smile on his face. "Truce?"

"You know it," Mikey nodded, clasping his chocolate-covered hand onto Leo's sticky hand, pulling himself up on his feet. The two terrapins gave each other a quick hug. Mikey managed to nuzzle Leo in the hug, making Leo feel much better. "C'mon, let's go clean up. Race you to the sink!"

"You cheater!" Leo yelled as Mikey pushed on his plastron and got a headstart.

"We didn't make any rules!" Mikey yelled back, laughing as he watched Leo starting to run after him.

Raph gave Donnie a little smile, feeling good that he could help out his brother. Donnie smiled back a bit, resting his arm on top of Raph's head. Raph shook Donnie's arm off, growling at the tall terrapin. Donnie chortled, crinkling his nose at how "vertically challenged" his big brother was. As Raph was about to roughhouse with Donnie, April and Casey walked up to them.

"What was that all about?" April asked, pointing to the two running turtles.

"Are they fightin' or somethin'?" Casey asked, shoving his hands in his pockets, intrigued.

"Nah," Raph answered, lowering his fist. "Leo was in a mood and we got him to cheer up, and he and Mikey are just havin' fun."

"Leo was upset?" April asked, feeling the guilt come back. "Why?"

"It was probably because of his leg," Donnie replied. "He gets stubborn with it. He isn't used to being challenged by his own body. I don't think any of us would be." Seeing April calm down a bit, Donnie let out a little 'oh.' "April, don't feel bad, he's not upset with you."

"Yeah, April, he isn't mad at ya, he's just mad at his leg," Raph said, laying a hand on her shoulder for comfort. "Don't beat yourself up."

"Thanks, guys," April said, relieving some of her stress and guilt. "I know I should know that, but you know how guilt is."

"What were they doin' anyway?" Casey asked.

"They smeared stuff on each other's faces," Donnie answered, laughing at how they looked. "Those goofs."

"Chocolate and marshmallows," Raph added on. "We were makin' s'mores 'cause it cheers Leo up."

"S'mores?!" The two vigilantes yelped, smiles on their faces. "We want s'mores!"

"Okay," Raph said slowly. "Let's go make some, then."

April and Casey practically bounced on the way to the house, craving something sweet- and s'mores was just the thing. They glanced in the kitchen, seeing Leo washing his face and hands and saw that Mikey had reserved the sink in the bathroom. They exchanged smiles, unable to wait for the gooey goodness. They sat on the floor, roasting their marshmallows. They slid their marshmallows on their graham crackers, put a piece of chocolate under it and topped it with another graham cracker, sinking their teeth in their s'mores. They both let out an 'mmm', both having smiles on their faces. Leo and Mikey walked in, Leo taking his place in his chair and Mikey sitting in front of his feet, watching the teenagers eat.

"You and Mikey should have some more," Raph insisted, smirking.

"Oh, no no no," Leo said, waving his hands side to side. "I think we've had enough."

"Awh, says the sore loser," Mikey joked. "I can go for another! He can't speak for The King."

"Uh huh, okay," Leo said, sinking into his chair, feeling so much better. "I've had enough for one day."

"You only had _one_ ," Donnie pointed out. "Surely you can handle making yourself one."

"I just cleaned up," Leo shrugged. "I don't wanna get messy."

"Awh, but 'the point of a s'more is to make it as messy as possible' is what I remember," Donnie said smugly.

"Fine, geez!" Leo said, throwing his hands up in defeat. "Raph, could you make one for me, please?"

"Can't make it yourself?" Raph huffed. Leo glared at him playfully, grabbing a marshmallow in his hand. Though he caught Leo's bluff, he didn't want to risk having his face being smothered with something sticky. "Okay, okay," Raph agreed, sticking the marshmallow in the fire. "Sheesh."

"Thank you," Leo cooed, sinking back in his chair. After Raph made his s'more, Leo grabbed it and ate it, a warm smile growing a bit on his face. "God, this is good. How the shell do you make them better than me?"

"Takes a master," Raph said, holding out his hand and eyeing his fingertips, giving them a blow of air. "Maybe you'll get the hang of it."

* * *

After they all cleaned their mess and put up what was left of the ingredients, everyone was ready to hit the hay. Leo decided he'd sleep in his chair, already warm and comfortable and didn't want to move anyway. Raph reserved his chair and brought his knees up to his chest, snuggling into the chair. Mikey raced up the stairs, trying to beat Donnie to the bed. April took the long couch, propping her feet up on one of the arm rests, her hands behind her head and letting out a relaxed sigh. Casey took the wooden chair, having pillows on it for comfort and quickly fell asleep, his hand on his stomach. Before he could sleep, Leo got up and checked on Raph. Raph had his eyes closed already, his breathing normal.

"Thanks, Raph," Leo whispered, draping a blanket over his brother. "You know me so well."

"It was nothin'," Raph yawned back, patting Leo's arm lazily. "Get some sleep, okay?"

"Count on it," Leo smiled, rubbing the top of Raph's head. "You too. Night."

"Mhm," Raph replied, falling asleep as Leo made his way back to his chair. He nuzzled his head to the side of his chair and rested his arms on the arm rests, shifting his feet close to the fire for warmth. He let out a little yawn, then a soft sigh. He was happy that he could help out April and get to play around with his brothers. He couldn't let his leg get the best of him, and he was determined to try his best to remember that.


	27. Home, Sort-Of-Sweet, Home

**_[This chapter will be based after all the events that happen in the show to the point where they get Splinter back and make Antonio's Pizzaria their temporary home. All the events like battling the car, the chimera, the Shredder mutants, the spirit plane (you get the point) have already happened and they're now all reunited with Master Splinter. Sorry it's a bit short and hope it will suffice~]_ **

Looking around and trying to get used to the new sudden setting, April looked around at the abandoned pizza joint. With Leonardo, Casey, and Raphael all out in the very dangerous city overrun with Kraang just to risk getting things they can recover from the now-destroyed lair, she is only accompanied by Michelangelo, Donatello, and now Master Splinter. With a couch already in place, she decided to take a seat and try to ease her nerves. She desperately wanted to know where her father was and where the people of New York could possibly be. With Donnie working on a way to make retromutagen and Mikey pestering him, it gave April a chance to relax- well, as much as she could in the current situation.

Master Splinter, hands behind his back, stared out the barricaded windows plastered with nailed in pieces of wood through some cracks, watching out for any potential threat and for any signs of his two sons and Casey. He sighed softly, tilting his head down, as he realized that now his daughter, Karai, was in very high danger, and he hoped that she could survive this mayhem. He was glad to be reunited with his sons and the two teenagers, who he had considered family, and he was glad that he was in his right mind. But his guard was always up and he was always worried.

April wanted so badly to show Splinter what she had picked up in the past few months away from the city- she wanted to show him how his sons had really helped her with her training. She knew he was very occupied with his thoughts, though, and wanted to give him some time. She tapped on her knees, blowing out a bit of air.

"April," Master Splinter said, catching her attention. "A thank you is in order."

"Huh?" April said, confused for a minute. Remembering that she had helped Splinter come to his right mind, she smiled a bit. "Oh, no need to thank me, Master Splinter, I'm just glad you're back and you're okay."

"As am I," Splinter replied, turning around to face her. He managed to give her a little smile. "I am grateful that you all are well."

"We missed you a lot," April added on. "We didn't know if we'd come back with you.. you know..."

"Yes," Splinter sighed. "I am glad it did not result as such. Did you encounter any trouble while you were away?"

"Uh," April said, turning her head a bit to look at Mikey and Donnie, who were listening. They widened their eyes, shaking their heads quickly. "N-not really." Splinter raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Psht, it wasn't as bad as it is here, is what I can say in all honesty."

"Yeah, we're glad to be back home," Mikey added, hesitating for a moment. "Well, what's left of it, at least- ow!"

Donnie gave Mikey a disapproving look as he smacked Mikey upside the head. He mouthed 'don't' to his little brother, balling his hand into a fist.

"It is lucky you all managed to survive the Kraang-controlled people at the entrance of the city."

"Well, Casey made it pretty easy- just speeding through them and all," Mikey said, reminiscing with a little smile. "That was pretty cool."

Mikey and Donnie started roughhousing and arguing, which led to the cue of April turning around. She stood up and walked toward a boarded up window, peeking through a crack. She gasped a bit as she spotted some Kraang passing by, armed with weapons. She hated what had happened to her hometown and wondered where all the people went. She was pretty sure that the Kraang had captured them as her mind kept seeing this. Her senses always tingled. She stepped back, trying to get her attention on something else. She stepped beside Splinter, staying quiet.

"Did you do anything out of the city, April?" Splinter asked, trying to get his focus elsewhere, too.

"Uh, I actually tried working on my kunoichi training, Master Splinter," April said, a little excitement in her voice. "Leo said I was doing really well."

"I bet you have," Splinter agreed, looking down at her. "You are a very quick learner- I will take Leonardo's word on this. I hope we find time so that you may show me your improved skills, April."

"M-me too," April smiled, letting out a little soft, happy breath. "That'd be great- if we could find the time."

"Soon, after all of this madness is over," Splinter said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "I would like to see your improved training. Although, that is after we can manage to defeat the Kraang and repair our beloved home- and reunite you with your father."

"Sounds great," April smiled. "Thank you, Master Splinter. Glad you're back and okay. Hopefully we can manage to live here comfortably and in safety for a while, but it is a bit stuffy. Not very big."

"It'll manage," Donnie said, leaning against the small couch. "There's enough room for us all. Well, I think."

"Where will we even sleep, D?" Mikey asked. "On the floor? I am not up for that!"

"I'm sorry, Mikey, do you want me to build you a bed or something? Would that make you feel better?" Donnie spat, narrowing his eyes down at Mikey.

"Wow, the first smartest thing you've said all day!" Mikey hissed, clenching his fists. "That'd be awesome, Don, why dontcha start on that now?"

"We can figure all of that out later on, my sons," Splinter said, happy to hear the bantering he'd come to miss. "And keep your voices low, we do not want to risk being found by the Kraang."

"Sorry, Sensei," the two terrapins mumbled, tilting their heads down. April giggled, bringing her hand up to her mouth to cover her smile. Donnie looked up a bit, seeing April giggling and blushed lightly. Mikey looked up and let out a little giggle, too. They all parted and returned to their first positions, now awaiting for Leo, Raph, and Casey to come back- hopefully unharmed.


	28. Teens on Edge

_**[This chapter will be based after coming 'home' without Karai from Coney's Island, aka the episode "The Pig and the Rhino." It's not really focused on April's training so much as it is about tension and the turtles being on edge.. Other than that, I hope you enjoy it anyways!]** _

After watching Karai jump into the water in the night and with Bebop and Rocksteady defeated yet escaped, the group trudged home. While on the way back, Raphael and Michelangelo somehow managed to stand in the front of the group, leading the way to their temporary hideout. Donatello, Casey and April all walked behind the two, talking amongst themselves. All caught up in their own thoughts and conversations, none really noticed Leonardo walking far behind him. With his head tilted down to the ground and letting out a soft sigh, Leo couldn't help but feel bad. He wanted to reunite Karai and Master Splinter all the while with getting her back to her human self. But everything wasn't working out- nothing was really going his way.

_"We'll figure out a way to help you, Karai. I promise."_

Leonardo pondered on his words. Could he actually keep his promise? Could he pull through and actually help her get out of Shredder's clutches once again? All the while saving the people of New York City? He didn't know how much of a burden he could carry, but the weight was getting too heavy for him to carry. No matter what it would take, he would somehow find a way to bring Karai home. To her real home.

* * *

Pouring inside and luckily had avoided any confrontation with the Kraang, the team all found a place to sit and rest, exhausted with the day. Their confrontation and their lack of getting Karai back just drained them all. With Leonardo coming in last and shutting their hatch, he closed his tender eyes and let out a little sigh, gulping as he went to confront his father. April watched as the leader trudged to Master Splinter, biting down on her lip. She felt extremely bad for Leo- she knew how important getting Karai from Shredder was to him and to their Sensei. She hope some day they could all get her back. Oh would that be the day.

"Master Splinter," Leo mumbled, his blue orbs darted to his feet to avoid Splinter's gaze. "W-we couldn't get Karai. I'm sorry."

Splinter's red eyes glazed a bit. He expected this, but hearing the words just made it harder on him. He yearned for his true daughter to come back so he could know that she was in safe hands, but with her losing herself, he knew she would object to the offer. He turned to focus attention to his eldest son, whose shoulders were drooping and whose head was turned down away from his. He lay a furry hand on Leo's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze to comfort him. Leo let out a shaky breath, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt himself tear up.

"Leonardo, she is aware that her mind is slipping away from her spirit. We will get her soon, my son. But at the right time. You must not let yourself carry such a heavy burden. It is too much for you. For now, we must focus on the main task at hand, and that is to return the citizens of New York safely back home all the while defeating the wretched Kraang." Leo nodded once, quickly walking away from his father and secluding himself in a corner of the shop, sitting down and facing the wall. Leo pressed his head to the cold wall, the sorrow washing over him. Splinter turned back to face the boarded window, both he and Leo left alone with their thoughts. It was going to be a long night alone with their thoughts for the both of them.

* * *

Mornings used to be so peaceful and relaxing for April- the sun in the sky, the clouds all covering the light blue and orange sky, the air feeling warm and comforting. Oh how she missed the feeling. Now it was just watching Kraang march and fly up and down the streets and sometimes witnessing as they captured, mutated and transported humans through portals to Dimension X, the sky not as beautiful as it used to look. April sighed, missing the city she used to happily call home. Splinter sensed her sadness, giving her a soft look. She smiled sadly, walking back and plopping down on the couch next to Casey.

"I wish the Kraang would just leave already," April said softly, her head in her hands. "I wish I could go home to my dad."

"All I want is to know where the hell my lil sis and my dad are at," Casey grumbled. "I wanna know what happened to 'em."

April gave Casey a comforting glance, trying to ease his pain and mind. He had no idea what happened to his family yet April did. Kirby was mutated once again, trying to help them escape, and was taken hostage by the Kraang. Meanwhile Casey didn't know if his family was either hiding or were captives or managed to escape the city. Neither of them were at ease. They both wanted their family back. They were happy the turtles and Splinter were with them. They were like a second family to them both. And they knew they could rely on their second family; their friends and Sensei.

Raph glanced at the two brooding vigilantes on the couch. He shared a look with Mikey, both of the turtles pouting and feeling bad for the teenagers. Mikey hesitantly sat down by April, wrapping an arm around her.

"Cheer up, guys. We'll find them somehow. At least we've got each other, huh?" Mikey said, trying to comfort them. He didn't know if he and his brothers and his Sensei were enough for them, but he hoped they were.

"I know," April replied quietly, a little small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I'm glad I've got you guys." She leaned her head on Mikey's, closing her eyes and enjoying her friend's comfort gesture. The two freckled teens smiled. Raph decided to comfort Casey in his own way, sitting on the armrest next to Casey and giving him a little nudge.

"We've got your back, Case. We'll help ya find your sis and your dad," Raph said, hoping to lift his best friend's spirits. Casey huffed, nudging Raph back, a little smile on his face. "We gotcha."

* * *

Donnie constantly worked on the new batch of retromutagen for both the citizens of New York and for Karai. He knew his first batch was unsuccessful for Karai as it had no effect on her whatsoever, but he wasn't sure for any regular mutant. Well, mutants that were mutated by one animal species only, that is. New batches would constantly blow up in his face, frustrating the terrapin and getting him on edge. He didn't know how long it was going to take until he would whip up a successful one, but he knew time was of the essence, yet time was not on his side. With another batch failing, he slammed his fists on the table, letting out a groan through gritted teeth as he let his head drop on the table.

"Things not so good over here, Don?" April asked, even though the answer was obvious. She walked up behind Donnie, placing her hands on his shoulders and starting to massage them, hoping to ease his nerves. Donnie enjoyed the massage and the tension in his body lessened. He lifted his head up and sighed.

"Well, not really," he replied, closing his eyes and pinching the corners of his eyes. "I can't seem to make another batch of retromutagen. My patience is wearing thin."

"You'll get it soon, Donnie," April said. "You always pull through. I know you can. Don't worry."

"We'll see," Donnie shrugged. "But, thanks."

"Maybe I can help?" Mikey asked, interrupting. "I mean, maybe-"

"Really, Mikey?" Donnie asked, narrowing his eyes. "How can you? What do _you_ have to offer?"

"Hey, take it easy, Don," Raph said, sensing some tension from Donnie. "Don't blow a fuse- well, whatever fuses ya got left in ya."

"Can it, meathead," Donnie hissed. "Like you can help, either."

"I never offered my help, and I wouldn't with that attitude ya got!" Raph growled, clenching his fists. "You got a thing or two comin', ya-"

"Stop it!" Leo boomed. "I know we're all on edge, but turning against each other and arguing with one another isn't gonna resolve anything! How is this going to help with rescuing the people of New York and Karai?"

" _Karai, Karai, Karai_ \- what's the big plan, Fearless? Like you got an idea!" Raph barked, stepping up to Leo and getting in his face. "Huh? Tell me, Leo, I'm really interested!"

"Gee, Raph, I wonder if you've maybe tried to think of something with that little brain of yours! Do you have a better plan? Why don't you tell me!" Leo growled.

"Guys, stop fighting!" Mikey yelled, shoving his way between his two brothers and pushing them away from each other. "We'll figure something out!"

"Haha, _'we'_ , huh? More like me! I'm the one who always makes up the plans- when have you guys made a plan?" Donnie spat, rising out of his chair.

"Donnie, this isn't about you! This isn't about us at all!" Mikey yelled. "Guys, be rational! We gotta stop-"

"What is going on?" Splinter interrupted, watching his sons tense up and glance at him nervously.

"Nothing, Sensei," the four said in unison, all giving each other looks. Splinter narrowed his eyes.

"Bickering at each other will help nothing and will not help with our plan to rescue the citizens and restore New York. My sons, I am aware that you all are stressed about the situation and the risks, but arguing is not the way to go."

"Why don't we just get out there and clobber 'em?" Raph suggested, smashing his fist into his other hand.

"Yeah!" Casey agreed, shooting up. "Lemme at 'em!"

"What good is fighting going to do?" Leo snickered, crossing his arms across his plastron. "I know you wanna blow off some steam, Raph, but beating down some bots isn't going to do any good. We won't even minimize the problem at all. We don't know how many we're up against."

"They're squishy, pink brains in suits!" Raph yelled, throwing his arms up in the air. "How hard can it be, Leo?! Honestly!"

"Enough!" Splinter yelled, his voice echoing the room. His ear itched as he heard some Kraang march by, quickly going over to a boarded window to see if they were heard. The Kraang passed by idly, unaware of the sudden outburst of Splinter's. Splinter let out a little sigh of relief, walking back to his sons. He gave them all a look, scaring them back in their senses. "My sons, the stakes are too high to risk being heard bickering amongst ourselves. You must work together to come up with a plan to defeat the Kraang, not drift apart. That will help nothing. You took a well-deserved amount of time to prepare- months, need I remind you- to take back our beloved city. You did not return to act like children."

"Hai, Sensei," the four terrapins said, bowing to Splinter. With their skin crawling in guilt, the four glanced at each other, quickly apologizing to one another. They departed, trying to ease their minds. Donnie gulped and looked back at the chemicals in front of him, determined to make a successful batch, quickly going back to work.

* * *

"Hey, April," Leo whispered. It was dusk, and everyone was starting to retire. Why so early, Leo didn't know. But he wasn't going to question it.

"Yeah?" April yawned, turning to face Leo.

"Have you told Master Splinter about your training yet?"

"Yeah." April smiled tiredly.

"What'd he say? Did you show him?"

"He said I could show him after we get New York back. I'm really excited but a little nervous."

"Why? You're doing really great, April," Leo replied lowly, inching toward her. He and April could always dish in each other with ease and comfort. "You shouldn't be nervous."

"Yeah? I dunno," April shrugged, a sheepish smile on her face now. "What if I'm not good enough?"

"Tell you what; maybe me and the guys can help you out one more time before you show Splinter? Or just me? Or I dunno," Leo rambled on, shy on his suggestions. "I just thought-"

"That'd be great," April agreed happily. "That'd really ease my nerves. Thanks, Leo." Leo nodded, laying his head on his arms and closing his eyes. April shifted to get comfortable on the couch a bit, trying not to move too much to wake a sleeping Mikey and Casey next to her. She was itching to show Splinter and looked forward for the day.


	29. Two Teens and a Rat

_**[Now this will be based on what April, Casey and Splinter do while the turtles and the Mutanimals are out fighting the Kraang and saving the people, aka "The Battle For New York." Maybe April will be able to show Splinter a few moves? Who knows! This is going to be a short chapter.]** _

Pacing back and forth around the wide yet small room, Casey pulled his hands through his hair, tugging at it a bit in frustration. He managed to gather some supplies from the pharmacy without harm and brought it back to the temporary hideout. Splinter and April were both attending to Kurtzman, who was weak and a bit stunned from the shot he received. _I should be out there kicking and tearing apart some serious metal butt! Why am I stuck here doin' nothin' while the guys get to have all the fun?_ Casey growled under his breath, running a hand through his hair and then shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Casey, maybe you could be useful and help us?" April said, glancing at him for a bit. "I know you want to fight, but-"

"Yeah, Red, I do wanna fight!" Casey turned sharply on his heels to face April, his hands clenched. "I wanna help save New York! I can't just be here on the sidelines, it ain't what Casey Jones does."

"You can help us," April suggested again. "Three's a charm."

"Gah," Casey waved her off angrily, starting to pace again. April sighed and shook her head, turning her attention back to Kurtzman.

"Is he going to be okay, Master Splinter?"

"He will survive, though his healing will take a bit of time. But it will not bother him for long."

"That's good," April said, her nerves easing. She decided to stand up and just walk around for a while. "I hope the guys are doing okay."

"They'd do better if I was there," Casey mumbled lowly. April shot him a distasted look, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just sayin'."

"Either way, I hope they get outta this with not much harm." April glanced at Splinter, whose body was frozen. Splinter looked down to the ground for a moment, quickly collecting himself and standing. He put his arms behind his back, his thoughts clouding his mind. He was always worried whenever his sons would go topside, but his anxiety was higher than ever; peaked at its highest point yet. He hoped his sons would return home, he hoped their mission would succeed. He knew they were capable and would come home, but his brooding thoughts always took over at such situations. "Master Splinter?" The rat snapped out of his thoughts, blankly staring at the teenage girl, unaware that she was speaking to him.

"Yes, April?"

"Are you okay?"

"Ah, well, only a bit concerned about my sons. They are excellent warriors, but being a parent, I always worry."

"They'll pull through, Master Splinter, they always find a way." April offered Splinter a little smile for comfort. She felt satisfied when Splinter gave her a soft smile in return, letting out a soft chuckle. "So, think you can find a way to shut Casey up somehow?"

"Hm," Splinter hummed, glancing over at the teenage boy, who was still pacing angrily. "Perhaps I should wait for Casey to cool down a bit."

April laughed, getting Casey's attention. He shot her a 'what?' gaze, only receiving another laugh from April. He felt his cheeks grow warm and quickly turned his head forward, not wanting to show that he was getting a bit soft. He still was upset that he had put in the sidelines for such a big and serious operation. Eventually he managed to cool down and made his way to the couch, remembering that it was already taken. He pouted and furrowed his eyebrows, deciding to lean against the counter. He pinched the corners of his eyes near his nose ridge, letting out a sigh. April stood beside him and leaned against the counter too, her hand cupping her cheek.

"What's biting you, Red?" Casey asked. "Somethin' up?"

"I don't know," April replied in a whisper. "I'm worried about the guys, obviously. But I really want to show Master Splinter how much I've improved. Is that weird? At such a serious time like this, I just want to show him what I've improved on- how much my skills have grown. That's weird, right? Yeah?"

"Why dontcha just show him?" Casey asked, not seeing the problem. "Ya got nothin' to lose, anyway."

"I feel like it'd be rude- I mean, he's worried about the guys, and I'm worried about my dad, and you're worried about your little sister and your dad- we're all worried, so why would I try to focus his attention on me? I don't know if I should. Maybe I should wait until everything blows over and they fix the old lair?" April ran a hand through her hair, not caring if some hairs got out of place and in front of her face. She gripped onto her bangs, squinting her eyes tightly in frustration. Casey lay a hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to stop doing what he was doing a little while ago. He didn't want her to pull out some hairs or anything. She looked up, her blue eyes falling onto his brown ones.

"April, I know we're all on edge and whatever, but maybe Splinter could use a little distraction." Seeing April narrow her eyes at him, he gulped nervously. "Well, I didn't mean distraction, I just meant- uh, you should try to show him. It would get both of ya to stop worryin' for a li'l bit. And that's okay. You oughta try to, at least." April looked down at the counter for a moment, then flickered her gaze back to Casey. She gave him a small smile, pulling him in her embrace for a moment.

"Thank you," April whispered to him. Casey wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her a bit. He chuckled lightly when he heard her pained breath at his squeeze, pulling back and looking at her. Her smile grew from cheek to cheek, making her look radiant. He darted his eyes toward Splinter's direction, encouraging her to go and give it a shot. She nodded, patting her hand on Casey's for a moment, then walking towards the rat master. She took in a little sharp breath, glancing at Casey one last time. He nodded at her, waiting for her to ask already. She cleared her throat, getting Splinter's attention. _Better now than never_ , she thought, looking up at Splinter. "I-I know this is, like, a weird time to ask, but," April bit down on her lip nervously, darting her blue orbs to another direction. "I was wondering if I could show you a few moves I picked up back at the farmhouse?"

"Perhaps," Splinter stroked his chin, then his long, thin white beard. "Yes. You may demonstrate."

"Oh-okay!" April practically bounced in her first position, deciding to show Splinter some katas the turtles helped her out with. She then leaped in the air and struck her legs out at both directions, feeling a bit confident in her kick-split. Splinter's eyes widened a bit; he was impressed. She then proceeded with kicks, punches and blocks, then finished it off with the 'sweep her off her feet' move very swiftly and gracefully. Splinter nodded at her to continue. Gulping a bit, she showed him some moves that involved her tessen. As she moved about the room and showed him more and more moves, Splinter stroked his chin, intrigued. He held up his hand for her to stop. She immediately halted, putting away her weapon and bowing down to him slowly while looking at him. "Master Splinter?"

"Your skills have very much improved. Leonardo was correct; you're very-"

"Wait," April interrupted. "L-Leo brought it up to you?"

"Yes," Splinter said slowly, eyeing April's tone. "Was he not supposed to?"

"No-I mean, yes- I mean," April waved her hands in her face, trying to find the words. "Leo told you about me improving on my training? When?"

"After we all reunited and arrived here. Leonardo pulled me aside and told me how much you had improved in your training and how he hoped that I would soon see it with my own eyes. He was very enthusiastic about the subject- he seems very proud. He even mentioned on how you had defeated him during your sparring session with him."

Touched, April couldn't help but to let the smile she'd been trying to pull back spread across her face, her eyes glazing a bit. She wiped a tear threatening to escape away with the knuckle of her index finger, looking up at Master Splinter. "He really said all of that?"

"Yes. I must say, I am very proud of you as well, April. My sons told me about each of their sparring sessions with you and how you learned something from each to improve your skills and use them to your advantage. I must see more after the city is ours once again."

"D-Definitely!" April said, flabbergasted. "Of course, Master Splinter. Thank you." Before she could walk away, she stopped herself. "Leo brought up me defeating him?"

"Does this trouble you?"

"I didn't think he would, I mean, he seems pretty touchy about when his leg was injured. I didn't think he would tell you."

"Well, he told me, and it did not seem to bother him."

"Maybe I should have another sparring session with him- to see who would really win. I feel like his leg was bringing him down."

"You and he both had agreed that you could use his injury to your advantage- you must use any advantages available as a ninja to complete the mission and be as unharmed as possible. But if you wish to set up another match with Leonardo, I very well think he will agree."

"He does love a good sparring," April added, stroking her chin. "Sure, after all this blows over, I'll ask him. Will you watch?"

"If you would like me to, I shall."

"Please shall," April blurted out, quickly covering her mouth with her hands after. She darted her eyes up to Splinter for a moment and quickly looked away, her face flushing. "I mean, you don't have to-"

"Do not worry, April. I would be happy to observe."

"Thank you, Master Splinter," April breathed out, smiling before dashing to Casey's side. She leaned against the counter and lowered her head onto the surface of the counter, groaning quietly, still feeling embarrassed. She heard Casey take in a sharp breath, and before he could speak, she threw her hand over his face to shut him up so he wouldn't say any quirky remarks about what just unfolded. "Don't even, Jones." She heard Casey start to laugh under his breath and decided to give him a "little" push. She busted out laughing when she heard him fall to the ground and let out a pained groan. She stood up straight and offered him her hand. At first she pulled it back, laughing to herself as he shot her a playful, annoyed glance, but then helped him up to his feet. "Thanks, Casey. It was better to get it over with."

"What'd I tell ya, Red," Casey smiled, nudging her a bit with his elbow. "You can always trust Casey Jones."


	30. United

_**[This will be based from when April sees her dad after the turtles are victorious and return all the citizens of New York back to the city and from that point on. And I feel I should tell you that we're just some chapters away from the epilogue of this story! It's been so much fun to write and your reviews fuel me and aspire me to write better. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy this chapter!]** _

"Dad? Dad!"

April ran to her father's side, fathoming that her father was alive, okay, and unmutated. She couldn't have been happier. At first, Kirby O'Neil stood still. He had such a killer headache! He quickly subsided his pain and opened his arms for his daughter to run into. She embraced her father, walking with him on the way back to their apartment. Taking a quick look behind her, she saw Casey and Kurtzman stand to watch her reuniting with her dad. Casey gave her a soft smile, his eyes a bit glazed from what she could tell. He was glad that she found her dad. Kurtzman offered her a congratulating smile before he started walking forwards. Kurtzman paused when he realized Casey hadn't immediately followed. Casey had darted his eyes to the concrete sidewalk, trying to blink away the tears in his eyes. He took in a sharp breath, mouthing to April 'See ya soon, Red?' She nodded, watching as he nodded in response and started walking away. He was determined to find his family more than ever.

The trip to their once-abandoned apartment was long and silent. Both of them knew that they would have to clean up the mess that was left behind courtesy of the Kraang and Shredder's legions. They would have to fix multiple holes in the wall, replace the window Leonardo was thrown through, try to cover up the smokey shots in the walls the Kraang made- they had much to do. The silence wasn't awkward, but comforting. No words were needed between the daughter and father, all they needed was to assure themselves that they were together and okay. April leaned her head onto Kirby's shoulder, gripping onto his arm gently, not wanting to let go. She had encountered and been through so much while she was away from her dad. She couldn't wait to tell him everything, but she was very hesitant.

April began to think of what could unfold. She knew her father was prone to panicking and being overprotective of her when he survived being held hostage and had seen and been through unspeakable things. She knew she was going to have to take a lot of time to reassure him that the invasion was no more and the Kraang were nowhere to be seen. Then again, that's what she had said the last time; that the turtles had rid of the Kraang and there were no traces of them. But then they made a reappearance, and her father was turned to a mutant bat, turned back human again, and then he was turned to a mutant Kraang slave and taken hostage. This was going to be a hard time for her father, and she knew it was going to be a pain for her, as well.

Caught up in her thoughts, April tripped on the first step up to the door to the apartment complex she lived in.

"April, honey, are you okay?" Kirby asked her, looking down at her.

"Yeah, sorry," April chuckled nervously. "Just, thinking about some things."

"Hm, aren't we all," he replied, opening the red door. They took the stairs and walked up to their apartment, looking at the damage. Hesitant, Kirby took a step in the hallway, some holes appearing in front of him. He gulped, stepping into the living room. He looked at the shattered window, slithering out of April's hold and walking towards it. He peeked his head out of it a bit, seeing that his bathtub was on the street and smashed into smithereens. He let out a little groan, pinching the corners of his eyes. "Man, this is going to take a while. There's so much work to be done."

"We could always do it tomorrow," April suggested, having observed her father's baggy eyes, tired posture, and weakness. "There's no rush, Dad."

"We should at least hang a curtain over the window."

"Sure, we can do that." April searched the apartment for a curtain, rummaging through debris and scattered items. She managed to find one and approached Kirby, who already had some nails and a hammer in his hands. She grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it to the wall, slowly standing on it. She fell forward a bit, her leg almost tripping out of the window. Kirby quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto his chest, breathing quickly and holding onto her tightly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Dad, I'm fine," April replied. "Are you... okay?"

"I will be, honey, don't you worry about me. Let's hang up this curtain, huh?"

"Sure, Dad."

* * *

While Kirby went to sleep shortly after hanging up the curtain, April was determined to lift some of the burden of cleaning up from her Dad's shoulders. She tidied up the living room, wiped away what she could, adjusted misplaced items back to their original places, threw away shards of glass and smashed items in the garbage, and swept the room to make sure any tiny pieces of glass wouldn't hurt them in the future. She wiped her hands on the other, letting out a satisfied sigh. It was as good as she could make it, but repairs were definitely in order. She threw herself down on the couch, an exhausted groan escaping her agape lips. She instinctively pulled out her T-Phone, deciding to ring the turtles and Casey.

"What's up?"

"Hey, Casey," April started. "What are you doing?"

"Nothin' much, just walkin' 'round the city."

"Why? Shouldn't you be home?"

"Yeah, I should, but I still gotta find my dad and my lil sis. They haven't turned up yet." Casey said this in a tone that was unfathomable, even to April.

"Do you want me to help you out?" April had been so caught up with finding her Dad, this thought had slipped.

"Nah, that's okay. You should just focus on your Dad. See ya soon, Red."

_'Call Ended.'_

April stared at the screen, trying to piece together Casey's tone. She couldn't scramble to what the tone could have meant. Was he trying to hide his disappointment on not yet finding his family? Was he upset about something else? Was he upset that she was reunited with Kirby so quickly while he's still searching? What was it? She decided to figure it out and confront him about it later, calling a turtle.

"Hey, April."

"Hey, Donnie, what are you up to?"

"We're trying to get everything back down to the lair right now. It's going to be," Donnie groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "A pain. What about you?"

"I'm doing nothing besides talking to you. My Dad fell asleep after we hung a curtain up. He's pretty exhausted."

"Aren't we all," Donnie said. "I'm sorry, April, I gotta go. We're trying to get things down back home while trying to hide from the people. You know."

"Oh, no, yeah, I understand. Sorry," April said quickly. "Didn't mean to interrupt you, Donnie."

"It's okay, really, it's no bother," Donnie said, practically tripping over his tongue. "I didn't mean it in any negative connotation, I ju-"

"I know, Donnie," April giggled. "I'll let you get back to work. See you soon?"

"You betcha!" Donnie quickly hung up after, face palming himself hard and letting out a groan.

April smiled at the screen and slid her T-Phone in her back pocket, sitting up. She stretched her arms up high, arching her back in the process. She made a sound as her legs tensed up, quickly falling back down on the couch and letting out a shaky breath. She hadn't realized how much strain she had put in her body while cleaning up. She rubbed her neck, hissing as she put pressure on some tensed up parts. She let out a soft hiss, moving her head around, hoping to relieve some pressure. She didn't know what to do with the time she had. She certainly wasn't up for more cleaning, but she felt she could clean an entire complex. She was really energetic. She didn't know what to do with herself. She got up and walked around the living room, hoping it would drain out some energy, but came to little progress. She let out a loud groan, tilting her head back. "God, I'm so bored!" Just then her T-Phone buzzed, as if someone could sense her extreme boredom. She quickly picked it up. "Hello?"

"Red, guess what!"

"Wha-"

"I found 'em! I found my dad and lil sis!"

"R-really?" April couldn't contain her smile. "That's awesome!"

"Yeah, listen!" April heard a strong wind on the line that was so loud, she winced away from the line. "Hi, Red!"

"Uhm, hey," April said hesitantly to the new voice. She didn't recognize it. "Who am I speaking to?"

"Red, this is my little sister," Casey said from a distance, April could barely hear him. "Hi, Red! I like your name! Why is your name Red, Red?" April giggled, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth as if someone was watching her. "No, that's not her real name, I just call her Red!"

"My name is April, actually. What's your nam-"

The other side of the line disconnected. She looked at her screen, confused, reading the words _'Call Lost'_ and shrugging her shoulders. She was about to slide her phone back in her pocket when it rang again. Before she could greet Casey, he cut her off.

"Sorry 'bout that, Red, she dropped my phone," Casey groaned. "But yeah. I found 'em!"

"That's really great, Casey," April replied, happy for him. She was debating whether to bring up the earlier phone call to him, letting out a frustrated noise.

"Somethin' up, Red?"

"What? Oh, nothing, I'm just really bored." She decided not to.

"Wanna go to the swings or somethin'?"

"Aren't you going to help clean up your place or something?"

"Nah, my dad and little sis are gonna crash. They're tired, and I asked what happened to 'em, but they ain't budging. I ain't gonna push 'em, they seem alright. So yay or nay?"

"Is it okay with your dad and little sister? I don't want to take you from them when you just found them."

"Dad said it was fine, and the lil shrimp is dying for some food and isn't real focused on anythin' else."

"Sure, we can go swing." April stood up, arching her back once more. "Meet you there or do you want me to wait for you?"

"Whatever you want, Red."

"I'll meet you there. See you then."

* * *

Barely moving the swing, April clutched tightly onto the chains of the swing she sat on, awaiting Casey. She tilted her head up, watching as her perspective moved around. She started giggling, finding it so amusing she started pushing herself on the swing to have the perspective move faster. She started with giggling and ended up with bursts of laughter, having to hold onto her stomach as she laughed on. She gasped as Casey stuck his head above hers, scaring her so bad she scrambled in her swing seat and let go of the chair, almost falling on the ground. Casey quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, catching her before she could collapse on the cold, hard cement below her. They gazed at each other for a moment, smiling at each other warmly.

"Thanks, Casey."

"No prob, Red." Casey lifted her back up, watching as she positioned herself on the swing. He proceeded to sit down on his, falling on the concrete, missing the seat. April tried to hold in her laugh but failed miserably, her face red as Casey laughed at himself and sat on the swing. "What were you laughin' 'bout before?"

"It was stupid. I was swinging and looking up at the sky, and I laughed because it was moving so weird and so fast."

"You're a real card, Red," Casey chuckled, looking up at the dimming sky.

"I'm an ace, Jones." She watched as he repeated what she had done earlier, smiling as he started to laugh a bit. "I told you!"

"It's super weird, I'll give ya that," he said through his laughter. He slowly stopped, taking in a happy breath. "Man, it's good to have found my folks."

"Yeah, I'm glad I found my dad."

"What's up with him? Was he okay lettin' ya out?"

"Oh, he doesn't know."

"You snuck out?!"

"What? No!" April shoved Casey, getting a laugh out of him. "No, he's asleep. He's really tired. I asked him if he was okay since he gets really paranoid, but he said he was fine. I don't buy it, but he's sleeping, so that's good. I'm gonna have to try to find ways to calm him down."

"Maybe he'll be more calm this time, ya never know. This ain't the first time-" Casey leaned back as April shot him a sour look. "Uh, sorry. I meant, uh, maybe he'll be more okay about it. Maybe he'll get over it more quick."

"Maybe. I hope so. We've got a lot to fix. I cleaned up the living room for him since he was tired, but I can't really repair anything. I don't think it'll take long, though."

"I can help if ya want."

"No, that's okay. I know you've got some settling in to do, too. I want to help the people, too, in some way. Help people get back to feeling safe at home as much as possible, you know?"

"That's real sweet of you, Red. You never stop amazing me."

"Ah," April waved Casey off and smiled bashfully over to him, tucking loose strands of her hair behind her hair, not knowing how to properly respond to such a compliment. She took her gaze elsewhere, not wanting to turn red again and let out a soft sigh. "Man, it's kind of nice out tonight."

"Yeah, it's kinda warm even though it's real windy. Maybe it's a good sign."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean like, sometimes, when you're like upset or something, it rains, which is like, such a coincidence. But sometimes, after somethin' real bad happens and it's like, warm and sunny or whatever, good things start to happen. It's kinda stupid, but, I don't know," Casey stopped himself, rubbing the back of his neck. "Stupid, really."

"No, no, it's not stupid, I get what you're saying now. That's kind of nice to think about." April looked up, smiling at the sky. "Maybe things will turn for the better."

* * *

Stirring as she struggled to stay asleep, April squinted her eyes tightly, not wanting to open them. Once she opened her eyes as wide as she could, she couldn't fall back asleep. She didn't want to risk that, she was very tired. She heard noises that kept growing louder, and her body just couldn't take it anymore. She had to figure out what could possibly be so loud at such a time. She slid out of her bed, marching to the source and had her hands clenched, upset she was awake. She saw that Kirby was awake and doing repairs, her anger slowly going away.

"Dad? What are you doing up so early?" April asked, yawning.

"What do you mean, April? It's 5 in the afternoon."

"What?" April searched for a clock, panicking. When she read that the time was only 11 in the morning, she whirred her head around to face Kirby, who was smiling at her reaction. "Dad."

"I'm just kidding around, April," Kirby smiled, resuming his work. "Did I wake you up?"

"Yes, you did," April said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was hoping to get more sleep."

"And yet you were upset when I joked about it being 5 o'clock?"

"Touche," April replied, a smug smile on her face. "What are you fixing?"

"I'm fixing this hole. Starting little by little. Some men are coming by later to replace the window."

"Really? Do you need any help?"

"No, that's alright. I see you already did some work yourself," Kirby turned his head to give his daughter a sincere smile. "Thank you."

"It was nothing," April waved off. "Are you sure you're okay, Dad?"

"I'm fine, April. I'll be okay. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I actually wanted to tell you all that happened when I was away when you have the time."

"I've got the time," Kirby set down his tools and took a seat on the couch, his attention on April now. "Let's hear it."

April's smile slowly grew to cheek to cheek, her eyes sparkling as she sat across her father. She proceeded to tell Kirby about all the encounters from The Creep to the Chimera, giving Kirby all the details in each of them. She rambled on quite a lot about the mutant car taking Donnie as its hostage and how Casey and Donnie saved each other, happy to share that their friendship has flowered. She went quite in depth about their previous conflicts, excluding the ones about her, and how they had all bonded over taking the time away from the city. She had avoided the tale about "Mom", unsure if she should tell Kirby. Nonetheless Kirby was very intrigued. She even told him on how she helped Splinter's spirit return to his body when he lost his mind. She told him the lessons and moves she learned from sparring with the turtles and about how Leo had dealt with his injured leg in the process. She left out where he was frustrated and distant, not wanting to somehow make Leo look bad. She finished it all with a huff, her body feeling weightless as she let it all out.

"April, that's fascinating! Is that all that happened while you were away?"

"Mhm," April nodded, avoiding Kirby's gaze. "Pretty much!" Her voice went high pitched. _Dang it._

"Are you sure? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"I don't know if I should tell you, Dad, it was pretty hard on me. I don't know how hard it would be for you."

"April, you can tell me anything."

"Okay," April sighed, her heart heavy. "Well, there was this time, when we were cleaning the farmhouse 'cause it was high time for it to be cleaned, you know? Anyways, Mikey was dusting the lights when he fell down the stairs. Leo and Raph were at the foot of the stairs, and Raph was right there, and Mikey fell on him. Leo was all, 'Mikey, I just mopped the floor!' and Raph was like, 'I'll mop the floor with him!' and we saw that the carpet was moved when Mikey fell, and there was a door under it. We all stared at it and someone said, 'Who's going first?' and we all yelled, 'Not it!' and Leo was like, 'Oh' because he didn't say it. So we-"

"You made Leonardo go down first?" Kirby laughed. "Really, April?"

"We were all pretty scared!" April laughed. "Now shush! So we went down the stairs, and it was super creepy. We all got to the bottom and we all saw it: a Kraang ship. Donnie concluded that it was down there for a long time since it was so dusty. Leo went inside and then we all did, and Donnie was trying to figure out some things about it, and Mikey accidentally pushed a button. Then this chamber in the middle started acting up, fog coming up, and something was inside. Sorry, someone. When it stepped out, I saw her."

"Saw who, April, saw who?"

"Mom." Watching as Kirby sucked in a shaky breath, she slowly continued. "I walked up to her and I couldn't believe it was her. She didn't know who I was at first and I told her I was April, and then we both fainted. When we both woke up later, she told us that she was captured by the Kraang and that you and I managed to escape. She said that someone in our family stumbled upon the Kraang and they decided to test her for things, and then they put her in a hypersleep. She was so happy to see me, and then she pulled me aside and told me that me and her should go and leave the guys behind, that she didn't trust them. She put me in a tough spot, and I talked to Casey, and then Raph came outside and told us we had to go and that Mom was a monster. I was upset at first and didn't believe him, but then she turned into this- this Kraang mutant, and she started running after us.

"We ran inside the shack and we were all ready to fight- she already took Mikey, Donnie and Leo. She broke the sides of the shack and Casey said we should burn her out. He shocked her and it stunned her for a bit, but she was already up and ready to fight again. Casey and Raph started fighting her, and then she grabbed them and she- she sucked them into her. She told me to come with her, that we could be a family again. When I said no, Leo, Mikey and Donnie's heads popped out of her neck, and it was like they were mutated with her. She grabbed me and was about to mutate me with her, and then I screamed, and then she just disappeared. I got up and the turtles and Casey were all back. Leo helped Mikey up and Mikey puked, and I helped Donnie up, and then we all cleaned up and went down to the Kraang ship. Donnie concluded that the Kraang had used Mom for genetic testing, and the thing that attacked us was an experiment gone wrong. I was upset at first since I felt like I just got Mom and I lost her all over again, but then Leo told me that we're a family, and then, I felt better. But she's out there somewhere, Dad, I can feel it."

Kirby was speechless, just staring at April. He got flashbacks of he and his beloved wife, whom he missed. The times they spent together, times they spent with April, how happy they all were. He missed her so much. Just hearing that April encountered a mutated version of her made his body feel heavy. But this brought some gleam of hope for him, that maybe she was still out there somewhere. He gave April a small smile, pulling her in his embrace. April was still for a moment, unsure of how Kirby was handling this.

"I'm glad you're okay, April. Maybe your mother is still out there somewhere. Let's hope she still is. If she is, we'll find her one day. But for now, I'm glad I have you back."

"I'm happy you're back too," April whispered, her voice full of sentiment as she pulled Kirby in her embrace, hugging him tightly. "I missed you, Dad."

"I missed you too, April," Kirby smiled, kissing the top of her head and stroking her hair gently. "I missed you, too."


	31. Hangin' in the Lair

"I'm going to go see the turtles, Dad. Will you be okay alone?"

"I'll be fine, April! Just be careful!"

"Always!"

April shut the door to the apartment complex, taking in a sharp breath of the now-fresh smelling air outside. Earlier in the week she had helped serve food to the people of New York and did many other things to help out. She started walking down the sidewalk, watching as some people walked on the other side happily chatting along. They met her gaze and waved at her, noticing the girl that helped feed them. April waved back, a warm smile on her face. Ever since the people started adjusting and started feeling safe enough to roam the streets, she'd been having a hard time trying to see the turtles. She only managed to see them twice, which made it seem like they hadn't seen each other in such a long time. She was determined to hang out with them today. She sneaked a look in the alley she was in, making sure she was alone before she slid into the sewer hole and quickly covered it back up. She quickly walked to the lair and was surprised when she saw none of the turtles at first.

"Guys? Anyone here?" April asked loudly, walking into the common area. "Hello?"

"They are not here at the moment, April." Splinter emerged from the dojo, greeting her. "They are on the surface, doing their daily patrol."

"Awh, what?" April groaned, sliding her hand down her face. "You've got to be kidding me. It took me a long time to get here and they're not- ugh."

"Something on your mind that troubles you?"

"No, I just really wanted to see them. And you too, Master Splinter. Ever since people have been getting comfortable, it's been impossible to slip down here unnoticed."

"Ah, so that is what they had meant. I understand now. Maybe you should call them and tell them you are awaiting their arrival. They have been gone for a while, and it is still a bit bright outside, I assume. Though the streets are clear of the Kraang, many threats still lurk the streets."

"If they can defeat the Kraang invasion, they can defeat some thugs, Master Splinter," April laughed nervously as Splinter shot her a gaze. "R-right. I think I'll just let them have their topside fun. Maybe they're just goofing off. They really need it after what they did. I'd love a break, too, if I were them."

"What will you do for the time being, then?"

"Hey, maybe I could show you the rest of my moves?"

"Ah, yes, let us do that."

April led the way, sitting on her knees and heels as she waited for Splinter to come in. Splinter stood in front of her, posture bold as ever and told her to stand up. She bowed to him, hands at her sides and took some steps back, preparing to show him some moves. She showed him the moves she had shown to him before and then resumed with some techniques Donatello had shown her before they left to defeat the Kraang. Pulling out her tessen and doing kick flips, she moved around swiftly and graciously. She threw her tessen over Splinter's head and watched as it landed right between the two swords displayed on the wall. She finalized her performance with katas, sitting down in the previous position and bowing her head down. Splinter sat on his knees, his gaze fully on the kunoichi-in-training.

"I am very impressed with your skills, April, very impressed indeed." Something about his tone hinted that he wasn't done. "While your physical skills are at best, it is perhaps time you start to focus on other skills."

"Master Splinter?"

"You should start to focus on the art of deception, April. Kunoichis must inhabit this skill and use it to their advantage when in need. You have worked on it before; why have you stopped?"

"I, I don't know," April said, mentally lecturing herself. "I should have remembered that. I'm sorry, Master Splinter."

"Do not apologize. You have improved greatly with the physical attributes of your training. Deception is the ninja's most powerful weapon."

"Yes, Master Splinter."

* * *

The turtles all walked besides each other, waving their hands in their faces slowly. Sweat dripping down their chins and gliding down their arms and legs, they panted as they entered their home. Raphael instinctively made a beeline for his punching bag, lifting up his arm and wanting to punch it, but fell onto the sandbag as he extended his arm out to it. He let out an exhausted groan, turning on his carapace. Donatello went in his lab and slid the doors, leaving them a bit ajar in case anyone wanted to come in. He pushed aside everything on the silver table in front of him, not caring if some things rolled onto the floor and climbed onto the table, pressing his forehead onto the cold table. He shivered, letting out a satisfied sigh as the cool temperature crawled over his skin.

Michelangelo fell to the floor on his knees, happy in that moment that he was wearing knee pads. He rolled until he fell onto the couch, laying a hand on his forehead and over his eyes to block out the bright lights. He let out annoyed grunts as he couldn't find a comfortable position. Leonardo was the last turtle to stroll in. Seeing that the couch was taken, he walked to the center of the common area, just looking around for a moment. He then fell to his knees and laid on his plastron, spreading his arms and legs out on the cold floor. A smile crept on Leo's face as the heat soon subsided from his body, closing his eyes in delight.

"Hey, you guys are back!" April chirped, running to them. She slowed and eventually stopped as she saw her friends all laid out in front of her, not replying to her comment. "Are you guys okay? Did you get hurt?"

"No," Mikey breathed out. "We're just- we're- we just-"

"We're hot," Raph finished for Mikey. "And I don't mean looks wise this time." April gave him a look, rolling her eyes and searching for the fourth turtle.

"Where's Donnie?"

"In there," Mikey pointed to the lab. "It's real cold in there right now. I shoulda went in there while I was still up."

"Right," April said, approaching the lab. She opened the doors slightly and slid inside, rushing to Donnie's side. "Donnie, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just extremely warm at the moment. But it's going away. What's up? You finally got to come down here?"

"Yeah, I managed to. I was hoping to see you guys when I came- an hour ago."

"What?" Donnie sat up, guilt washing over him in waves. "April, I am so sorry, we thought you'd come by later!"

"It's okay, Donnie," April insisted, laying a hand on his. "Don't sweat it."

"You can say that again," Donnie replied, wiping his brow. "Man, was it hot out today. Anyways, have anything in mind on what you want to do?"

"I thought I'd just come down and hang out," April shrugged. "It feels like forever since I saw you guys last."

"Yeah," Donnie agreed, smiling softly at April. "Feeling's mutual. Just give us some time to cool down and then we can do some stuff, okay?"

"Sure," April smiled, helping Donnie lay back down. "Just get up when you feel like it."

April strolled out and into the living room, seeing that Raph had managed to get up and lean against the hard wall. She shared a glance with him, giving him a smile before finding a place to sit on the couch. She let out a little shaky sigh, tilting her head back on the edge. Mikey sat up, his hands flat on the cushioned seating under him. Leo let out a little mix of a whimper and a groan as he rolled onto his carapace, feeling the cold going through his body. Eventually Leo fell asleep on the floor! Mikey poked at his older brother, puzzled. Donnie emerged from his lab and contorted a confused yet smug look as he looked down at his eldest brother lying on the floor.

"Raph, we've got a pick up," Donnie announced over his shoulder. "Think you should take it."

"I'm comin'," Raph replied, groaning as he stood up. He walked over to his blue-banded brother and couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, man. Poor sap." Raph bent down and slid his arm under Leo's carapace while holding firmly onto a side of Leo's plastron, slinging Leo over his shoulder and onto his shell. "I didn't know he was this tired. I mean, I thought he was just bein' a little slowpoke, but he wasn't playin' around." He made his way to Leo's room, kicking open the door and entering the room. He gently set his brother down on his bed, throwing a blanket over a shivering Leo. He smiled down at Leo, patting his shoulder. "Get some damn sleep, you dork." Raph whispered in a soft tone.

"Mm, language, Raphie," Leo mumbled with a tired smile on his face before he drifted into a deep sleep.

"D-" Raph looked down at his already-asleep brother. He was surprised that Leo had used the nickname that Leo and his younger brothers called them as turtle tots. He wanted to protest and say not to call him that again, but it secretly warmed his heart. Raph couldn't help but to laugh quietly, pulling the blanket up to Leo's neck. "Night, Fearless," Raph whispered, exiting the leader's room.

"...could make some food? We're a bit hungry anyways," Raph heard as he closed the door to Leo's room, approaching April and his young brothers.

"I heard food," Raph said, rubbing his hands together. "I'm all for food."

"I guess we're making food, then," April shrugged, smiling as Mikey bounced side to side.

"Awesome!" Mikey darted for the kitchen, his chef-skills desperately wanting to be expressed as soon as possible. He rummaged through the cabinets and the fridge, pausing for a moment as the rest of the group came in. "Wait, what are we making, exactly?" Mikey's two older brothers glanced at each other while April tapped her chin, her focus on the kitchen itself. She darted her eyes around, feeling stuck.

"Uhm, I don't really know. Is there any food here that's actually good?" April asked, her eyes a bit narrowed. "I mean, we were gone for a pretty long time."

Donnie sighed as quietly as he could, feeling a shudder of sorrow going throughout him. They were gone for a long time, that was for sure. He hadn't realized how homesick he felt. He was always telling Mikey they couldn't go home because they had _no_ home. He felt a pang of pain in his chest, and he had to clutch onto his plastron in someway and had to do it tightly. He was glad at that moment that he had been behind his brother and April, he didn't wish for anyone to see him.

"...Donnie?"

"What?" Donnie shot his head up, realizing he had stared out into space. "What's that now?"

"What do you think of just ordering pizza?" Raph asked, giving Don a look. "Is that okay with you, bro?"

"Y-yeah," Donnie said quickly, plastering a smile on his face for show. "That's fine. Guess we'll just have to buy some food for home later." As he said home, there was some vulnerability that lingered in his voice, and although it was barely detectable, Raph picked it up quickly.

"Me and Don here will order the pizza. You guys should go find a movie for us to watch or somethin'," Raph suggested, staying as calm as possible so neither of the freckled teens would sense the sudden change in Donnie's actions. "But don't let it be lame. April," Raph looked at her. "Don't. Let it be lame."

"I won't," April laughed, prancing behind Mikey out of the kitchen. Donnie tried to slip out without notice when Raph quickly grabbed onto Donnie's upper arm _tightly_.

"Hey, ow!" Donnie hissed, trying to pull away from Raph's grip. He knew it was useless to try, but he really didn't want to be around anyone. He wanted to dart into his lab and seclude himself. "Raph, let go, please."

"Don, somethin's wrong, and you're gonna tell me," Raph demanded, dragging Donnie to the island in the middle of the kitchen. He ordered Donnie to sit, and Donnie sat up on the table since there was nowhere to sit, really. "What's crawling up your shell, Donnie?" Raph asked, his voice low yet soft. Donnie was shocked to hear such sensitivity from Raph.

"N-nothing, Raph," Donnie lied, very lamely. "Things are fine. Everything's fine, haven't you gotten that through that meathead of yours?"

"Don't make this about me, Donnie," Raph said, trying not to push Donnie away. "You can tell me. I'm not gonna go spill or whatever, I'm not Mikey."

Donnie chuckled a bit at that, his smile soon turning into a little frown. "I don't know," Donnie began. "I guess I just feel homesick."

"Homesick? But we're home now," Raph said, confused.

"I know. When we were at the farmhouse and whatever, and Mikey would always say he wanted to go home, I always said that we had no home, that home was nothing but a memory. It didn't really affect me at first, but now that I think about it, I really missed the lair. I just, I missed it but I didn't know it, and now it's all coming to crash down on me." Donnie hesitated to say what was on his mind, but it was as his mouth had a mind of its own. "It's kinda weird talking to you about this, I usually talk to Mikey about this stuff."

Raph frowned a bit. He knew he was a bit rough when it came to people confiding in him or vice versa, but he didn't know that the wall he built was that hard and high. He was going to have to learn to be more open, but he shoved the thought away quickly. "I'm sorry, Don. Feeling homesick sucks."

Donnie sharply faced his older brother, narrowing his eyes. "And how do you know? It's not like you know the feeling."

"Are you kidding me?" Raph hissed under his breath, inching his face towards the smart terrapin. "Use that big head of yours and consider that I have feelings. When we were at the farm, of course I acted tough or whatever, but I had to! With Leo down and everyone bummed out and missing home and all that shit, I had to step up and make sure you all were okay! And even when I got hurt, I still tried to make sure you all were okay. I missed how we all always played around at home and how we were okay; how we all had fun even when we kicked butt. I missed the hard training sessions, and I know that's weird, but I felt real homesick. I missed how things were, and I really wanted to go home so that I could feel sure that everything was gonna be okay and that we were gonna be okay. Are you kidding me Donnie, are you fucking joking?" Raph threw his hands up in the air, wanting to storm out of the kitchen. It seemed as if no one ever considered his feelings, ever!

"R-Raph, why didn't you say anything?" Donnie said quietly, his eyes glazing a bit. The innocence in Donnie's soft voice froze Raph in his tracks. The buff turtle had to turn to face his younger brother. Raph's mad expression soon faded and turned into a concerned one. "You should have said something." Donnie's voice cracked, making Raph's chest feel heavy.

"I have to protect all of ya, Don. You guys are real important to me. I'd put my life on the line for you guys."

"Just like Leo," Donnie mumbled to himself.

"Don't compare me to him," Raph said jokingly, trying to ease the tension. "You guys come first. Feeling homesick sucks big time, Don. I know the feeling. I hope it goes away soon." Raph just stood there, not knowing whether to try to comfort Donnie or to just walk out. Donnie jumped off of the island counter and slowly walked towards his big brother. He was very hesitant, but his arms found their way around Raph's carapace, pulling the buff, hotheaded turtle into his embrace. At first, Raph kept his hands to his side as Donnie hugged him. _What would Mikey do?_ Raph asked himself. He found himself slowly wrapping his arms around Donnie, then out of instinct pulled Donnie closer, bringing a hand up to caress the back of Donnie's hand as comfort. "It's gonna be okay, Donnie."

...and Mikey couldn't help but to suppress the fluffy display in front of him. He let out a loud "awh!", clasping his hands together. Raph and Donnie tensed up quickly, the brotherly moment quickly blowing away. The two terrapins shot their gaze to their little brother, their once soft eyes now solid and full of anger. Raph had a devious glint in his eye, narrowing his eyes down to Mikey as his grin grew. He let Donnie out of his embrace and threw his fist into his hand, making a loud and intimidating smack sound to strike fear into the youngest turtle. Mikey gulped, cold sweats coming down his head.

"Hey Don, feeling better?" Raph asked, exchanging looks with his smart brother.

"Much better, Raph," Donnie nodded, his grin flashing.

"I think we should play a game with ol Mikey here, don't you agree?" Raph asked, putting a foot in front of the other.

"I couldn't agree more," Donnie smiled, following beside Raph.

"Uhm, oops?" Mikey squeaked, backing away from his older brothers. _Awh, dang it, I'm really in for it now_.

"Go!" Raph was the first one to pounce at Mikey, who quickly avoided it. Mikey screeched, running for his life. _I'm so gonna lose my shell!_

"Awh, come play, Mikey!" Donnie yelled, his long legs benefiting him. He almost had Mikey in his clutches when Mikey jumped over the water and landed on the tire swing above it, watching as Donnie splashed in the water. Donnie's head bobbed up, a growl surpassing his gritted teeth as Mikey jumped away from him. Now all that was left was Raph, who was right behind him. Mikey had to think quick; he had to think of a diversion. He spotted a roach up above them, trying to sputter out the word.

"I-ee-err-roa-cockroach!" Mikey yelled, watching as Raph froze and become nothing but a shell, dropping to the floor. Mikey took the time to pant, putting his hands on his legs. Before he knew it, Raph and Donnie were up again, both jumping to tackle him. Instead, Mikey rushed away, leaving the two to bump heads and fall on the floor. They both growled, quickly getting up and chasing Mikey again.

"What the heck are you guys doing?" April asked, backing away as Mikey ran past her.

"I messed up big time!" Mikey yelled, quickly losing his breath. "Guys, let me take a break, will ya?"

"We haven't even played yet, Mikey!" Raph spat, a devious smile on his face as he quickened his pace.

"Are you guys fighting over the pizza again?" Leo grumbled, walking out of his room only to be greeted with a tumbleweed made of his three younger brothers. Before he could get away, they dragged him in it, all four of them wresting each other; Leo and Mikey trying to escape while Donnie and Raph tried to keep them in no matter what. "Hey- I'm not even in this, let me go!" Leo pushed Donnie's head away, almost managing to escape when Mikey grabbed onto his leg, trying to get out with him. "Mikey, let go!"

"What is going on here?!" Splinter yelled, lifting his stick up and pushing it down to the ground, the loud sound echoing throughout the lair. The turtles stopped, all in awkward positions as they looked up at their father. "One of you explain, now!"

"It was Mikey!" The three older brothers yelped in response, pointing to their youngest brother.

"Not cool, guys, not cool."

* * *

After being punished to fight against him, the turtles were more sore than ever. Leonardo was a tad upset that he was punished for something he wasn't even involved with in the first place, but that was quickly subsided when Splinter threw him across the room. His shell was aching. He was the first one to storm out of the dojo, sitting on a far end of the couch. April was sitting there the whole time, having heard all their cries when they were being punished. She didn't bother looking at Leo, she knew he was furious. After some minutes, Raph walked out, his hand on his head. Donnie walked out and massaged his jaw, and Mikey came out slumping.

"Look, Leo, stop bein' a baby, we already said sorry," Raph said, glancing to his brooding brother.

"I'll make you feel sorry," Leo snickered, not turning to acknowledge Raph.

"Wanna say that to my face, Lame-o-nardo?" Raph growled, his fists now clenched. "I might have gotten my shell handed to me by Splinter, but there's no way I'm letting you-"

"Shut up!" Leo hissed quietly, turning to face him. "Do you want us to be punished again?" Raph quickly shut his mouth, glaring at his brother. Leo was happy to return the favor, standing up and walking to Raph, giving him a hard shove as he walked by. Raph couldn't have clenched his fists harder; his fingers were digging into his palms and it was getting a bit numb.

"Guys, don't fight," Mikey whined. "It was my fault; I shouldn't have snuck up on you and Don," Mikey said, his lip pouting out. Raph and Leo turned to their brother, feeling a bit guilty.

"Sorry, Mikey," Leo said, walking over and wrapping an arm around Mikey's neck. "Don't feel bad. We'll stop, alright?"

"I'm not the one giving up, but if you say so," Raph said, shooting Leo a playful look. Leo smiled a bit, pushing Raph away as Raph tried to smack him on the shell. "We'll stop. How about that pizza, huh?"

"I already bought it," April broke in awkwardly. "I ordered it when Mikey was trying to find a movie. It came here 45 minutes ago."

"What?!" They all exclaimed, running to April.

"Whoa whoa!" April put her hands out. "I-I didn't realize how hungry I was, I ate it all! I'm really sorry, guys. Plus when I'm nervous, I eat more."

"Aw what!" Mikey yelled, falling on his knees. "My pizza was taken! My poor, sweet-" Mikey was stopped when a piece of pizza splattered on his face. He quickly chomped it down, his eyes landing on a laughing April. "Hey, what the shell! Don't ever mess with a man's pizza, especially mine!"

"I only left one for each of you," April admitted, handing the rest to them. "Sorry."

"This isn't going to be easy to let go," Leo said before eating his slice. Gulping it down, an idea popped in his head. "To make up for it, you have to buy us some pizza gyoza."

"I paid for the pizza!" April countered.

"You ate it all, princess," Raph replied. April shot him a look, and he smirked. He wasn't going to apologize.

"Fine, I'll get you guys some pizza gyoza."

"I am so pumped!" Donnie chirped, taking his last bite of pizza.


	32. See You

Meandering into the little shop, the turtles and April quickly looked around to make sure no one was in sight. The stakes for being caught were high, even at night. Murikami stayed open late sometimes, which served a benefit to the turtles that night. Murikami was brewing something on the stove when he heard the door open, his attention shifting to his customers. With just a whiff of the air, he smiled. Although it wasn't the most pleasant smell, he was very happy when they always came.

"Ahh, turtles," Murikami chirped, a smile on his face. "Welcome!"

"Hey, Murikami-san!" Michelangelo smiled, hugging him. "Long time, no see!"

"This isn't a bad time, is it, Murikami?" Leonardo asked. "It is pretty late. Were you heading home?"

"It is no bother, Leonardo," Murikami insisted. "Pizza gyoza as usual?"

"Yes!" They all replied, quickly taking their seats. April chuckled, taking a seat next to Donatello. They exchanged smiles.

"Sorry for coming so late, it's kind of hard for them to get out with everyone in the city always out at night," April said. "But they really wanted pizza gyoza."

"I insist it is no problem, April," he laughed. "Would you also like some?"

"No thanks, I already ate." The turtles all stared at her, making her smile nervously. "Sorry, guys." Mikey guffawed and insisted it was alright.

"I will have it prepared momentarily, turtles," Murikami said, turning his back to start cooking their meals.

April got up out of her seat and sat next to Leo. Confused, Donnie looked at her. They all did.

"Hey, Leo, I have a proposal for you."

"Oh?" Leo asked, raising his brow, intrigued.

"So, I still feel bad about sparring with you back at the farmhouse." They all went quiet. The three younger turtles turned their heads away, trying not to butt in the conversation. Leo's parted lips joined together, and he lowered his head down to his shoulders a bit, darting his eyes around. April didn't mean to embarrass him in any way, but she had to ask. "Anyways, uhm, I was wondering if you were up for a second sparring?" Leo shot his head up, giving her a confused yet stern look.

"Why?" He asked.

"I mean, I feel like the last one wasn't really fair. I was hoping we could spar when we were both unharmed and healed, you know? Master Splinter said I should just come out and ask you."

Leo let out a huff. "I don't see why you want to besides feeling bad. You won fair and square, April."

"Leo." She brought her voice down to a whisper now. "I really want to spar with you when you're at your best. I want some real competition. I've been craving some one-on-one action. You constantly train vigorously, even when Splinter doesn't tell you to. I know you've been training a lot to make up for the time you couldn't. You're really getting better, Master Splinter told me so. Please. I really want a challenge."

"My brothers aren't competition material?" Leo asked, eyeing her.

"Of course they are. But you're the leader and you're training yourself so hard. So have I. We should spar, Leo."

Leo gave her a blank look, looking down at his fingers tapping on the wooden island. He sighed quietly, thinking it over. "You're not just doing this for me, right?"

"No."

"Then okay."

"Really?" April smiled, throwing her arms around him. "Thank you thank you thank you!"

"Hehe, sure, no problem," Leo smiled, patting her arms. He hugged her quickly and let her go. "Wait. You mentioned Splinter."

"Yeah?"

"He's going to watch, isn't he."

"Is that a problem? I really want him to see me in action, but I can tell him never mind if it-"

"April, I was just asking," Leo chuckled at her panic. "It's okay. I just wanted to know. We'll spar the next time you hang out, okay?"

"Okay," April sighed, relieved that Leo was okay with Splinter watching. "Okay, we'll spar then."

* * *

Piling into the lair, the turtles were stuffed. They were more full than they could comprehend. Mikey came in first, rubbing his stomach area and groaned, a satisfied burp escaping his lips. Raph groaned as he walked past Mikey, letting out a bigger burp. Right then, they decided to have a burping competition in the kitchen. Donnie groaned, wafting away their burp smells away from his face. April stood out, not entering the lair. Donnie stopped and turned back to her.

"You heading home, April?"

"Yeah. Watching you guys stuffing your faces in pizza gyoza can get a girl drained."

"Thanks for buying us food. I hope it wasn't a bother. I was fine with the one slice-"

"It's absolutely fine, Donnie," April smiled as Donnie was about to start babbling. She gave him a hug before she turned to leave. "I'll see you as soon as I can, okay?"

"We'll miss you," Donnie said, hugging her back. He shivered a bit at April's warmth.

"I'll miss you too, Donnie," she replied, knowing Donnie meant 'I'll' in his words. "And the guys. Don't have too much fun without me, and tell me if you make any progress on inventions or something."

"Aye aye," Donnie said, getting a little laugh out of her as he saluted her. Donnie walked away, giving her one last wave before going to see if anyone won the competition yet. April turned on her heels, ready to head home, when she bumped into the leader, both of them falling down. Leo quickly scrambled up on his feet, offering his hand down to April. She took it, grunting as she got up on her feet.

"Still on for that sparring session next time, right?" April asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Mhm," Leo nodded, smiling. "Sorry, by the way."

"Oh, it didn't hurt that much when I fell, Leo. I should have looked where I was going."

"That, and about just how I kind of acted back at the farmhouse. I should have put our sparring session first."

"You already apologized, Leo," April said, tilting her head in confusion. "I said it was okay. Why bring it up? All is in the past."

"Well, I figured if you're going to apologize for something you feel bad about, I should apologize for something I still feel bad about, too. I should have remembered."

"Point taken," April smiled, hands on her hips. "I'll see you then."

Leo heard a bit of tenderness in her voice, stopping her. "Are you okay?"

"What? Yeah," April said.

"Are you sure? I feel like you're... upset about something."

"Well," April shrugged. "I don't know. I miss you guys. We haven't seen each other a lot ever since New York was normal again. Everything being normal is great, don't get me wrong. But, ever since then, I don't know. Things don't really feel the same."

"New York isn't normal yet, April," Leo said, stepping closer to her. "And believe me, we miss you too. I know things don't feel the same, but it's because of everything that's happened. Eventually we'll get past it and we'll grow stronger from it. We'll be okay. Don't try to push yourself to come down here, you do have a life to live. You should try to do new things and take some time for yourself- relax. It helps sometimes. Take time for yourself, treat yourself; just take care of yourself. We'll understand. No matter how long it takes 'til we all hang out again, we're all still a family. Nothing will ever change that. We'll see you later. We'll be okay. Okay?"

"Gee, Mr. Softy," April smiled, wiping at her glazed eyes. Leo chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his head. "Thanks, Leo. That makes me feel better."

"I needed to hear it, too," Leo mumbled, hoping it was low enough for her not to hear, but she did.

"I'll see you soon, Leo," April gave him a warm smile. She didn't know why she was feeling so emotional; she knew they'd see each other again. _Just teenager things, I guess_ , she thought to herself. "Thanks for listening to me."

"Ah, well, what are friends for?" Leo smiled, pulling her in for a hug. She hugged him as tight as she could, her arms barely wrapping around his whole carapace. They were both once again grateful they could comfortably confide in each other. She pulled away, turning around and starting to head home. She turned her head a bit and waved at him once more, a little smile on her face as Leo waved his big, green hand back at her. As she became far away enough, Leo let out a little sappy sigh, then took in a sharp breath. "Bye, April," Leo said to himself, finally going into the lair.


	33. Prank War

"That is enough for today, I presume," Splinter says, softly laughing heartily.

"I think that's a good idea, Sensei," Donatello adds, weakly putting his finger up in the air, quickly dropping it to the ground.

The three turtles all lay spread around the dojo, in awkward positions, as they groan in pain. They're glad that weapons were excluded from training for this session, or it'd be pinching into their skin with their current forms. Michelangelo managed to push himself away from the wall and lay on his carapace, limbs spread out as he sucked in big breaths of air. Raphael wiped his brow, getting on his knees and looking in the direction of the two figures hovering him and his two younger brothers. Don, Mikey, and Raph all narrowed their eyes to the last one standing.

"Excellent work, Leonardo."

"Thank you, Sensei."

Splinter lay a hand on Leo's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze before he secluded himself in his room. As soon as Splinter was out of sight, Leo looked down at his brothers and shined a smug grin at them, earning little growls from each of them. Leo popped each of his green digits, striding out of the dojo to go soak in all his 'glory.' Raph got to his feet first, helping up his little brother, then his smart one. They all exchanged a devious look to each other, smiles growing on their faces. _Payback time_ , they all thought. Leo had been putting himself in many training sessions, either alone, with Splinter, or being assigned to spar with one or all of his brothers. He's been trying to enhance his skills to make up for lost times. It had paid off greatly, and the minor wounds his brothers have been receiving was evidence. They had all decided they would somehow prank the smug turtle.

Donnie and Mikey collected all the eggs from the fridge, leaving only one carton just for food purposes. Mikey would hand one to Donnie, Donnie would drill a hole in carefully, drain the contents, wait for it to dry, then work his magic by pouring in flash powder and covering the holes with wax. Mikey wanted to add pizazz, and even though Donnie saw no point in doing so since they would be destroyed anyways, he let Mikey decorate them with the Hamato clan symbol. Mikey and Donnie both had their tongues sticking out as they worked tirelessly on the ninja smoke bombs.

Raph decided to try his own magic. He came up with many ways to get Leo, and one of them was even Mikey's idea; water balloons. Raph slid in some packets of flour Donnie had helped make in the wrappings of his wrists, he set up a water bucket on top of Leo's door, some glue in Leo's favorite spot to sit on the couch, and hid Leo's comic books just to hopefully get a rise out of him. They all did this while Leo was asleep soundly in his room. _That smug grin of his is sure to go away when we're done with him_ , Raph thought, his grin growing. He rubbed his hands together, unable to contain his giddy excitement. It was all in how it was executed that was the main idea. Catch him by surprise.

"Man, I've been kind of brooding since April last came down here, but I have to admit, this is really fun," Donnie giggled, drilling another egg. It cracked, but the grin on his face didn't fade a bit. He held out his hand for another egg, and when Mikey didn't hand him one instantly, he looked up. "Mikey, I need another egg."

"Dude, are you saying you don't have a lot of fun with us?" Mikey asked, hands on his sides as he looked at his smart brother.

"What? I never said that," Donnie said.

"It was implied, kinda. I know you like April and stuff, and that's cool and all, but when you say stuff like that, it kinda makes me think that you don't like us as much as you like her." Mikey leaned on Donnie's desk, burying his face in the gap in his folded arms.

"Geez, I didn't know you felt that way, Mikey. I'm sorry. I do have fun with you guys. Don't get me wrong, I really do. I'm just saying things don't feel as normal as they did before, you know?"

"Yeah," Mikey sighed, only lifting his head up to have his eyes meet Donnie's. "I'm sorry, dude, I didn't mean to make you feel bad. Sometimes I just think stuff that I know isn't true or whatever."

"It's kind of my fault, anyways, Mikey. I do have fun with you guys. But right now, let's have fun trying to finish these bad boys," Donnie raised the egg he had drilled into, blowing out the contents. Mikey nodded happily, handing Donnie the flash powder. "This'll teach Leo."

"Yeah, bo-oy!" Mikey cheered, getting back to decorating. "He can't escape from the Prankster King and his jesters!" Donnie glanced over to Mikey, eyeing Mikey at his wording. "I mean, watch your shell, Leo?" Mikey smiled innocently.

"All right, guys, you almost done in here?" Raph asked, wrapping his toned arms around his brothers and pulling them close to him. "I'm so ready to get back at Lame-o-nardo."

"We're almost done, just 5 more eggs to go," Donnie replied, showing Raph the last of the cartons they had smuggled from the fridge. "Mikey put in some of them in the last carton in the fridge just in case Leo gets hungry."

"Nice one, little brother," Raph smiled, pulling Mikey closer to him. "That's the way to do it."

"What did you do, Raph?" Mikey asked, wanting to know what else Leo could possibly fall into.

"Well, Leo could get an unexpected shower today, or he could literally be glued to his seat, or his face could be white."

"Ni-ice," Donnie smirked, pleased with what he was hearing. "Man, what time is it, anyways?"

"Last I saw, it was like, 4 or somethin'."

"Then we're gonna have to stay up just to see if anything works," Donnie said slowly. "Did not think that through."

"Ah, no worries, guys! Our adrenaline will keep us awake!" Raph gave them a little noogie, pushing them out of his embrace. "It'll all be worth it."

"What will?"

"Ah!" Mikey yelped as the three of the quickly turned, their faces flushing. They all wiped their brows when their eyes set on Master Splinter, letting out sighs of relief. "Uh, nothing, Sensei," Mikey said quickly, flashing his best smile to make Splinter think of nothing otherwise.

"Why are you three awake so early? You all usually sleep in as long as you usually can," Splinter wondered, stroking his chin.

"Uh, well, Leo waxed our shells pretty good yesterday, Master Splinter," Raph said, looking for his brothers' approval. They nodded quickly, flashing smiles to their father. "We were pretty tired. We just woke up now."

"Yeah, just now," Donnie added, tilting his head to the side to add to his charm.

"At 8 in the morning," Splinter said, eyeing his smiling sons. He noticed something on the floor, narrowing his eyes. "Another invention, Donatello?"

"Y-yeah," Donnie nodded, stepping in front of the mess. "Just working on something for us to use if we get in battle or something. You know me!"

"Hm," Splinter sensed that there wasn't anything very important they were trying to hide from him, so he decided to no longer press the subject. "Very well. I wonder why Leonardo is not awake yet."

"Uhm, well, he's been trainin' a lot," Mikey blubbered. "He's probably using all the time he can to sleep today!"

"Perhaps." Splinter strolled out, rolling his eyes, smiling as he heard his sons start to talk to each other in low whispers. "Teenagers."

* * *

Head in one hand, legs sprawled out on his bed, other arm on the top of his head, Leo started to stir a bit, trying to keep the warmth he had under his blanket. He lifted his foot a bit and used the other to pull the blanket under it, laying it on top of the tucked blanket. A little smile on his face as he snuggled more into his bed, Leo started to go back to sleep. His muscles were really sore- more sore than before. With his rigorous training he had been doing and all the sparrings Splinter set him up to do, his body was screaming for him to rest. Leo lifted his head up a bit and pulled his pillow under his head, sliding an arm under it as he let his head fall onto the soft, cold side of the pillow. He was about to sleep when he heard a little knock at his door. Assuming none other than Splinter to be up so early, he mumbled as loudly and clearly as he could, "Come in."

Splinter pulled open the ajar door, not ready for what was coming. The bucket full of water started leaning towards Splinter's side. Unaware of his sons shenanigans, the water quickly poured over his head, leaving the bucket to clatter loudly onto the floor. Leo shot up, his muscles tensing as he did. Ignoring his pain, Leo looked at his now soaked and dripping father. Splinter had an unamused look on his face as he shook off what he could outside of Leo's room. He would confront his mischievous sons after.

"Master Splinter, are you okay?" Leo asked, his voice husky and raspy. He was about to slide out of bed when his body tensed up, a Charlie Horse starting to come in his leg. He shot down on the bed, grabbing fistfuls of his sheets as his leg muscle locked up, leaving his leg to shake. He didn't get many of them, but when he did, they were very painful. Splinter sprinted to his son's side quickly as he saw Leo fall back down on his bed.

"Leonardo, what is the matter?" Splinter asked as Leo hissed and turned his head side to side, cringing at the intense pain.

"Ch-Charlie horse," Leo said weakly, trying to get his breathing in control.

"You have worked yourself very hard," Splinter said, pulling the blanket off of Leo and leading his hands to Leo's shaky leg and thigh. Splinter removed the knee pad Leo had on the shaky leg and started to gently massage Leo's pained leg.

"No no no no no," Leo protested, arching his shell a bit, writhing in pain. "No, Master Splinter, please, no, stop, it hurts!"

"I know, Leonardo," Splinter said, continuing his massage. "This will help it to stop."

"Well, it really hurts," Leo whined, swiping the pillow from under his head and bringing it to the top of his face, screaming into it. Leo kept protesting as Splinter would gently press his fingers into Leo's skin, pressing down onto the tensed up nerves and slowly relieving them of pressure. Leo was glad his screaming was muffled as he didn't want to wake up his brothers. Splinter smiled at Leo's childish display, memories of Leo's little protests as a toddler rushing to his brain. As the shaking slowly stopped, Leo took in sharp breaths of air, throwing the pillow off of his face. "Th-thank you, father. Sorry about how I acted."

"Never mind that," Splinter smiled warmly at Leo, covering Leo with the blanket. "Are you alright?"

"Just a little sore," Leo shrugged, smiling innocently as he could as Splinter narrowed his eyes at him. "Okay. I'm really sore."

"As I had imagined. Although training is very essential to a ninja's skills, Leonardo, too much can drain you. Take today to rest and be gentle with what you do."

"Yes, Master Splinter." Splinter brought up a furry hand to rub the top of Leo's head, smiling softly at his eldest son. Leo smiled tiredly back at him, watching as Splinter exited his room. Leo looked at his floor, the light showing the big, wet puddle on his floor and the wet bucket next to it. Leo smiled, having decided to stay in bed as long as he could for the day.

* * *

"My sons," Splinter's voice rang. The three turtles once again tensed up, slowly turning to face him. As they saw how wet Splinter was, dread washed over them. _Busted_. "What are you three up to?"

"Helping Don here clean up another experiment gone wrong," Raph lied.

"Hey!" Donnie hissed, glaring at Raph.

"Just get out of the shower, Sensei?" Mikey asked slowly, nervously smiling as he hid behind his older brothers.

"Do not injure yourselves, my sons." Splinter walked away to let it soak in that he and Leo knew what they were up to.

"Awh, man! Leo's awake and he knows what we're tryna do!" Mikey groaned. "It's all ruined."

"Not exactly," Donnie said. "There's still the element of surprise."

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Raph heartily slapped Don's shell in pride. "Atta boy. We'll get him, one way or another."

* * *

Sneaking peeks in Leo's room, Mikey saw as Leo lay awake, constantly stirring around slowly in his bed. Leo would let out an occasional groan, his body hurting. Although a little part of him felt bad for the sore turtle, the rest of him wanted nothing but for Leo to know how good karma is. Leo once caught Mikey's eyes, waving at his giddy little brother lazily. Mikey froze and quickly waved back, escaping Leo's eyes. Leo smiled. Eventually he couldn't stand to be bedridden and slowly rose out of bed, looking at the wet mess on his floor. Leo grabbed the mop and cleaned it up as well as his room. He strolled out of his room, carefully stretching his arms over his head and smacking his lips. He washed up, taking care of his hygiene and personal business and carefully stepping into the living room. Catching him by surprise, Raph stepped in front of Leo, smiling as Leo jumped back in surprise.

"Hey, Raph," Leo greeted, clearing his throat and then groaning, bringing his hand up to his head. Raph was puzzled for a moment.

"You alright there, Leo?" Raph asked as Leo rubbed his head.

"What? Oh, yeah, just a bit sore and a headache, nothing too bad. Hope I didn't hurt you too bad," Leo said, eyeing the bruise on Raph's arm. "Sorry."

"Uh, no biggie," Raph said, flabbergasted. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Leo waved off. "I worked myself too hard, that's on me. What time is it, do you know?"

"I think noon, maybe," Raph replied, watching as Leo walked in the kitchen and slowly bent down to look at what was in the fridge.

"Man, I slept in. Well, I'm gonna make myself some food." Leo slowly rose back up, bringing his hand to his carapace as he did. "If I can find some. We really need some food." Leo made sure he hid his satisfied smile as Raph examined his actions, a bit of hesitation on his face. _Deception. It really works_. Next was Mikey and Donnie. "Ah, well. Guess I'll find something to eat later." Leo trudged to Donnie's lab, his sore body helping his cause. He slowly slid open one of the heavy doors, groaning loudly as he did. He was too sore for this, but he couldn't think about that. _If they want to prank me, I should have some fun, too_. Hearing Leo's groans, Donnie turned around, looking at his hunched over brother. "Hey, Donnie."

"Leo, a-are you okay?" Donnie asked, rushing to Leo's side. Leo's charisma was really working. "Are you hurt?"

"No, just really sore, that's all," Leo replied, almost dropping to the floor as his leg once again tensed up. _No no no no, not now!_ "Uhm, c-can I sit down? My leg is killing me, please please, please, Donnie." Donnie quickly nodded and helped Leo to a chair, watching as Leo brought his shaky leg to his chest and cradled it. "Is Mikey asleep?"

"No, he's playing video games, I think," Donnie said. "Are you sure you're-"

"Leo?" Mikey's voice rang through the lab. Leo looked up, his eyes meeting Mikey's sad and concerned ones. _Oh man, this is working too well_. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Just sore, don't worry about it," Leo repeated. Mikey went to Leo's side, concerned. "I'll be fine, Mikey. Look, guys, I'm sorry I've been beating you up these past few days. Karma came to bite me in the shell. But I deserve it. I hope you guys aren't too hurt."

"Don't think about that now, Leo," Donnie said. "You should relax."

"No, no," Leo said, standing up. "I'm fine. I'm just going to go in the living room and maybe do some katas."

"Katas?" Raph snickered, his arms folded on his plastron. "No way, Leo. You aren't gonna train today, you're way too sore."

"Guys, I'll work through it. This is only temporary, anyways," Leo shrugged, grasping onto Raph's shoulder. "I'ma go sit down for a little, though." Watching as Leo walked out, the three terrapins all shared a panicked glance, rushing behind Leo. Seeing the edging of the clean glue on his favorite seat, Leo slowly bent down to sit. Mikey's eyes widened as Leo was almost seated onto the glue. Mikey ran up to Leo and tackled him to the ground, not wanting Leo to be stuck on the seat. "Mikey, what are you doing?!"

"You were about-" Donnie and Raph shook their heads rapidly, not wanting Leo to know. "I, uh, well, you said you were okay, so why don't we wrestle?" Mikey asked, feeling okay as Raph and Donnie nodded their heads. "Y-yeah! Let's wrestle, Leo!"

"I wanted to sit down for a minute, but, okay, I guess," Leo replied, turning around and pinning Mikey to the ground swiftly. "I win."

"Wh- no! I wasn't ready!" Mikey tried to wriggle his way out of Leo's embrace, his eyes locking onto Leo's little playful smile. Leo shifted his weight into his arms and legs, making sure Mikey couldn't escape his clutches. "Leo, let me go!"

"Hmm," Leo said, his playful smile growing. "Nuh uh." Leo brought his face down to Mikey's, burying his face in Mikey's neck and shaking his head back and forth. Feeling Mikey's squirming grow, Leo pressed down harder onto Mikey.

"N-n-no, stop, I can't breathe, I can't breathe!" Mikey roared out in laughter, trying to inch his face and neck away from Leo. "Stop it! You know I'm ticklish! This isn't fair!" Mikey laughed, hot tears forming in his eyes. "L-Le-Leo! Stop, please!" Hearing that, Leo stopped and got off of his little brother, smiling down at him. Mikey tried to be mad, but he couldn't. "You meany," Mikey mumbled, taking Leo's offer of being helped up.

"Ahh, you love me bro," Leo smiled, gently shoving Mikey. "I'm hungry now. I think I'm gonna make some eggs."

"Eggs," Donnie repeated in a whisper, rushing to the kitchen. Donnie stood in front of the fridge, covering it so Leo couldn't open it.

"Donnie, what are you doing?" Leo asked, a stern look on his face. "Can I not make eggs?"

"N-no, I'll make it for you!" Donnie smiled nervously.

"I think I can handle making some eggs." Leo rubbed his neck and arms, even more sore now from playing with Mikey. "C'mon, Don."

"Hehe, that rhymed," Donnie pointed out, trying to distract Leo. Leo crossed his arms, tapping his foot. "Okay, I'll admit it. We ate all the eggs. We're sorry."

"What?" Leo groaned. "That's like, the only food we had that wasn't bad!"

"I'm sorry!" Donnie said, watching as Leo frowned. "We'll fix something up for you, okay? I will, at least!"

"It's not the same," Leo replied, rubbing his stomach area. "But I guess. I think I'm gonna play some video games."

"I'll play with ya," Raph replied, walking by Leo's side. "I'll own ya, Fearless."

"Psht, not today," Leo chuckled, heading for the Space Heroes pinball machine.

"Woah, no!" Raph yelled, pushing Leo away. Raph had glued the handle of the pinball machine, too. "Th-that's lame. Why don't we play somethin' else?"

"Why? Afraid you'll lose or something?" Leo asked, his smug grin returning.

"No! I always beat you!"

"Awh, but what if today that's different? I mean, look at what I've been beating you in. I've been kicking your shell. You're practically-"

"That's it!" Raph growled, sliding all the packets of flour out of his wrappings. He smashed it and blew it in Leo's face, catching Leo by surprise. Leo coughed violently, fanning away the puff of flour smoke in his face. The adrenaline rushing throughout him, Raph cackled. He used a ninja smoke bomb and disappeared from Leo's sight. Donnie and Mikey followed, excited to strike back. Leo knew he was about to get it. Positioned, Raph and Donnie each grabbed a side of Mikey's stretchy slingshot as Mikey loaded it with water balloons. "Fire!" Raph yelled, laughing as Mikey let go of it.

Trying to block the incoming water balloons, Leo groaned as they burst open on his skin and splashed on him. He slipped on a water puddle and fell down as the rest hit him. Some water getting in his nose and eats, Leo hissed as he tried to get it out, his eyes shut tight. Next, Mikey and Raph popped in front of him, giving him a well needed 'make over,' laughing at their work. Red lips, white face, blue eyes, and some words drawn on Leo's face, Mikey and Raph laughed as Donnie made his way to put on the finishing touches. Donnie threw a pie in Leo's face hard, watching as it dripped down his face onto his body. The tin fell off and landed on the floor, the only laugh that could be heard was the three turtle's laughter. Eventually when they calmed down, they saw that Leo hadn't moved at all. Leo's body was shaking, and they heard a little whimper from Leo. Their smug faces faded and they became concerned, flushed with guilt, thinking they got him too good.

"Leo, are you okay?" Raph asked softly, hesitantly placing his hand on Leo's shoulder. Leo flinched away, trying to contain his laughter as he hid his face. "Leo, we-we're sorry, we just wanted t-"

"Raph," Leo's voice quivered. Leo shakily raised his arm out for Raph. Raph let Leo take his upper arm, and Leo clutched onto it tight. Leo used all his upper strength and lifted Raph off of the floor, throwing him across the room. Donnie and Mikey's mouths opened wide, knowing they were next. Donnie shot up and managed to run before Leo could grab him, but Mikey was in Leo's clutches. Leo threw Mikey in Donnie's direction, watching as they both fell down and rolled onto the glued seat. Leo rose to his feet slowly, pain all over him, as his brothers groaned. He saw a tiara in front of him and walked to Raph, setting it on his head. "Awh, you okay, princess?" Leo cooed, laughing as Raph growled. "I'm not dumb."

"You're tellin' me," Raph mumbled as Leo helped him up. "You were actin' sore? That isn't fair!"

"Oh, no, I really am sore as shell," Leo admitted. "But, when the bucket spilled on Splinter, I wanted to prank you guys in my own way before you pranked me; with pain and deception."

"You used a lesson to prank us," Raph said blankly. "Kudos to you, Leo. You're not as boring as you seem."

"O-kay," Leo rolled his blue eyes, smiling at Raph. "I got you guys, good, though. But, you guys probably stayed up, didn't you?"

"Yeah," the three said tiredly. Leo and Raph went over to their younger brothers and helped to pull them off of the glue, watching as they rubbed off the dry excess off of them.

"You guys should get some sleep." Leo helped them to their rooms, helping them in bed. First Donnie, who quickly went to sleep and was whistling in his sleep, then Raph, who joked around with Leo before he slept, then Mikey, who wanted Leo to climb in with him. Raising a brow, Leo looked down at Mikey. "Why? Got another trick up your sleeve?"

"No, I would have got you by now," Mikey said, yawning. "I don't know. Just wanted to see if you would. Am I gonna be sore when I wake up, Leo?"

"Well," Leo said, sliding in Mikey's bed. "I don't know. Why would you be sore now?"

"I mean, we ran around a lot and we stayed up a long time, and then we wrestled, and then you threw me at Don, you get it, so am I?"

"Maybe. But not as much as me." Leo grabbed the top of Mikey's blanket and lifted it up to Mikey's neck, tucking him in. Leo smiled softly as Mikey yawned a bit, his eyes starting to close. "You just sleep as much as you want to, okay, Mikey?" Leo rubbed circles on Mikey's shell to help him go to sleep and to soothe him. "You got me really good today."

"What are you," Mikey yawned. "Gonna do while we're all asleep? No training," Mikey said, narrowing his eyes playfully at Leo. "You trained too much already."

"I won't, Mikey. I don't know. Maybe I'll make some food. Watch some TV. I don't know."

"Well, hope you don't get bored," Mikey snuggled into Leo's chest. "Mm, night, Leo."

"It's not really night," Leo chuckled as Mikey fell asleep. He lay there for some minutes and kept rubbing on Mikey's shell until he knew Mikey was deep asleep. He slowly slid out of Mikey's bed and went to the door, turning off the light. He looked back at Mikey one last time before he shut his door. Leo strolled to the kitchen, where he met Splinter, who was licking a cheesicle. "Hey, Sensei."

"What happened to you, Leonardo?" Splinter asked, examining the markings on Leo's face.

"Nothing really, I'll wash it off after I eat." Leo pulled out the carton of eggs and started up the frying pan, pouring some oil onto it before cracking some eggs. The first few he cracked with ease, until he cracked one and it puffed in his face. He coughed violently, fanning away the smoke.

"Nothing, you say?" Splinter asked, laughing.

"How did I forget about this," Leo laughed at himself, deciding not to add any more eggs. "They got me good."


	34. The Leader and Vigilante

Climbing down the ladder with ease and precaution, Casey looked around the dark sewers and damp sewers. He stepped down, stepping in a dirty puddle of water, jumping back from it. He glared down at his now wet shoe, leaving behind a line of footsteps as he meandered to his destination. Casey wanted to see the turtles since he hadn't for a while, but as a surprise. He asked April if she would join him, but she had been occupied with her father and remodeling her living room. He noticed that the sewers were a bit darker than before, but with all the damage done, he wasn't surprised.

Approaching the lair, Casey peeked his head around a corner, seeing if any of them were in sight. No one in sight, Casey slowly stepped in the lair, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "Yo, guys? Anyone home?" Casey spun around once slowly, double checking. He narrowed his eyes, a little grin on his face. "Okay, guys, if you're tryna mess with me, it ain't gonna work!" Casey spoke loudly, readying his hockey stick. After nothing happened, Casey lowered his weapon, a confused look on his face. "Okay, guys, you can come out now. Guys?"

"They're asleep," a voice echoed throughout the common area. It stepped out of the shadows, hands folded across the plastron. The face looked up, its eyes meeting with Casey's. "Howdy."

"Howdy? Really, Leo?" Casey guffawed at Leo's greeting, making the terrapin's face flush. "Aw, man. What's this about the guys- they're sleepin'?"

"Yeah," Leo replied, rubbing his hand over his face, trying to wipe away any water left on his face. "They're pretty tired out."

"From what? Did you guys kick some guys' butts or somethin'?" Casey asked, interested. "Give 'em a good poundin'?"

"Well, no," Leo chuckled, bringing his hand to rub the back of his head. "We had a little prank war or whatever."

"That sounds sick, yo," Casey smiled. "Wish I woulda been there."

"What has you dropping by anyways?" Leo asked, strolling to the lowered floor portion of the common area. "Just wanted to hang out?"

"Yeah, but I can come by another time or whatever," Casey shrugged, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"Oh," Leo replied, feeling a bit hurt. "Y-yeah, that's fine. Whatever you want. Thanks for dropping by, then."

"I-I mean, we can hang out," Casey suggested, his cheeks burning up.

He was a bit uneasy, he and Leo hadn't ever really spent time alone together, not unless it was with one of the turtles or April or anyone. They had never really spent time alone together. Leo had to admit to himself that he felt somewhat uneasy, too. He and Casey did contrast personality wise, but he was very similar to Raphael. _This is Casey we're talking about_ , Leo thought to himself. _He's my friend; but what could we possibly do? Watch TV? Talk about stuff? Cook? There's not much to cook anyways... What can we do_? Leo cleared his throat, trying to take away some awkward tension from the air. Just then, Master Splinter emerged from the kitchen, a second cheesicle in his hand.

"Casey, it is good to see you," Splinter broke the silence.

"Oh, uh, yeah, you too, Splinter. Glad you're okay."

"Thank you. Leonardo?"

"Uhm, yes, Sensei?" Leo asked, looking up, sharing an awkward glance with Casey. They quickly darted their eyes away from each other.

"We are low on food surplus. Perhaps you may take this time with Casey to retrieve some from the surface."

"Uh, sorry, Splinter, I don't have any cash on me," Casey shrugged. He and April usually helped the turtles keep stock of their food, but he had lost much of his money from buying things for he, April and the turtles back at the farmhouse.

"No need to worry, Casey. A moment." Splinter walked into the dojo, keeping the two teens in silence for a minute or two. Coming back out with a jar, Splinter removed the lid, showing them what was inside. Their eyes widened at the sight of the green stuffing inside. "I have managed to save some money from my past and have collected some down here." They both looked up at him, a bit surprised. "What? I did not steal it, it is unclaimed territory. My point being, use some of this money to go retrieve some much needed supplies. But be careful, you must not reveal yourself to the humans. Remember, Leonardo, you are a ninja."

"Hai, Sensei," Leo bowed respectfully to his father, letting out a little giddy smile. Splinter grabbed some money and handed it to Leo. "I'll be back soon, Father."

"Be sure of it, my son." Splinter handed Leo a list of things needed for the kitchen, including some things every one of the turtles and Master Splinter requested and usually added to the list.

"Let's go, Casey," Leo smiled, about to run when his leg tensed up. "Ouch!"

"Mind your body, Leonardo. You must be very careful of staying hidden with that sore body of yours."

"You okay, Leo?" Casey asked, letting Leo sling an arm around his neck. "You sure you can do this? You can just gimme a list and I can go buy it no problem."

"I'll be okay. Someone's gotta keep that temper of yours under control while we're out there." Leo smiled softly at Casey before they started walking out of the lair. "We'll be back!" Leo called out, turning the corner.

* * *

Breathing heavily as he ran the rooftops, Leo tried not to let out any sounds other than his own breath, not wanting to risk being heard from up above. Casey had decided to ride his bike to the store instead of walking, so Leo had to watch overhead for Casey. Frustrated that he was working up a sweat, Leo quickly wiped it away, gritting his teeth and trying to make himself tired out so quick. Sneaking a glance up, Casey saw that Leo was struggling a bit, pulling out his T-Phone.

"Hey, Leo, you alright, dude?" Casey asked, the wind blowing through his hair and on his face violently. "God, it's so windy!"

"Hello? Casey, I can't understand you," Leo said, pressing his hand on the other side of his face to hear Casey more clearly. "Casey?"

"Yeah, Leo? You alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about me, just keep going. We don't have much time, this store's gonna close soon."

"Why don't we go to one of the ones we passed by?"

"This one has something all the guys like, including Master Splinter. You still have a hold of the list, right?"

"Yeah, I got it," Casey dug out the crumbled paper from his pocket, holding it up high to show Leo. "No worries."

"Stuff it back in your pocket before it-" A car flew by Casey, blowing the list out of his hand and leaving it to dance in the wind. Leo's eyes sulked as he let out a frustrated sigh. "Blows away. Yep..."

"I'll get it, I'll get it." Casey braked hard on his bike, swiftly turning around and chasing the little piece of paper in the air. He narrowed his eyes, reaching out for the paper as it flew near him. His fingers grazing on it, Casey rose out of his bike seat a bit, almost able to grab it. Just as he was about to grab it, his bike rode over a pothole, causing his bike to lose grip to the ground. Casey quickly brought his hands down to the handles, trying to get control of the steering, but the front tire already was on its way to crashing into a mailbox. Casey jumped off of his bike, covering his head and face with his arms as he rolled around. He heard a loud bang and wearily looked up, seeing his bike tires turned in different angles and his bike on the floor, the mailbox having a little dent in it. "Bummer."

"Casey! Are you okay? Hello? Casey! What happened to you? Where are you?" Leo let the questions pour out, hoping Casey could still hear him from his side of the line. "I'm gonna find you, just wait!"

"Leo, chill, I'm alright," Casey replied, slowly pulling his T-Phone out of his pocket and bringing it to his ear. "I'm just down the road, about at the corner. My bike out outta control, and I didn't get the list. Sorry, dude."

"That doesn't matter now. I'ma come get you. We can get the food later." Leo tucked his T-Phone in his belt, sucking in some air before starting to run and leap roof from roof again, scanning the street below him.

"Leo, Leo!"

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Leo asked, looking down at his belt. "Casey?"

"I see the list, dude!"

"Wha- Casey, I'm getting you, we can worry about that later."

"No, dude, it's down here! It's around me! It's in the air still, but you can get it on the way!"

"Okay, fine," Leo smiled at how stubborn Casey was being about the list. "Alright, I see it!" Leo narrowed his eyes at the paper flying it the air. He couldn't simply jump out, grab it, and land on the ground, there were people out in the open still. He looked around for any possible ways to get it without being discovered, even if people were in cars. New Yorkers are unpredictable. He saw a clothesline connected from the building he was currently standing on to the one next to him. Observing the street lamps on the street and the other clothesline on the buildings in front of him, he smiled, readying his jump. "Alright, Jones, I'm getting it now."

"Careful, dude."

"You know me," Leo shrugged, sucking in a breath. "Determined." Leo leaped onto the clothesline, waiting for it to provide him enough bounce to jump to the street lamps. He let out a grunt as he landed on the light, his legs a bit wobbly. _This is just temporary, Leo. Get the paper, get Casey, get the food, and you're home free_. He watched, waiting for the paper to get where he needed it to be. As soon as it was in range, Leo gathered all the inertia, hypothetically, that he needed and jumped out towards the paper, his hand out reaching towards it. Landing in his hand, Leo wrapped his fingers around the paper tightly, letting out a little 'yes' and pumping his fist. Still flying through the air, Leo turned his position and landed on a street lamp across from his previous location, quickly jumping on the clothesline in his view and bouncing back onto a rooftop. "I got it, Casey. I'm coming for you now."

"Dude, that was tight, yo!" Casey chirped through the phone. Letting out a little smile, Leo was glad Casey couldn't see him at the moment. "Hurry up, dude, I don't wanna drag attention or nothin'."

"Can you get up?" Leo asked, running on the rooftops once again.

"Yeah, I think so, just waiting on you, slowpoke."

"Psht, so stereotypical," Leo joked, rolling his blue eyes as he located Casey. "Gotcha." He pressed the end button, looking around the street before he jumped down and ran over to him. "I wasn't that slow, was I?" Leo helped up Casey, who was laughing at the question.

"Well, I gotta cut ya some slack since you're sore and you got the list and whatever." Casey turned around, rubbing his head as he looked at his bike. "Ah, it ain't too wrecked, just gotta put some air in it and polish her up. But she's alright, she's tough."

"Think you can ride her down to the store still? Or you wanna call it a night?"

"I ain't goin' down because I jumped off! C'mon, you guys need food, and we're gettin' it."

"Alright, alright," Leo laughed, helping Casey pick his bike up. He heard footsteps approaching and darted into a shadow, narrowing his eyes. "Go ahead, I'm right behind you," Leo whispered lowly. Casey nodded and started to pedal, leaving Leo a little behind. Leo scanned around before jumping on top of a dumpster and up the fire escape, once again running on the rooftops. Once they got to the store, Casey climbed off of his bike and chained it to a pole, looking up at Leo for a minute. Smiling down at him, Leo offered a little wave before Casey headed inside, having waved back.

* * *

"No way!" Casey laughed, holding onto his stomach as Leo and he strolled down the empty street. This street was usually abandoned at night, being that it was the most destroyed and damaged street. "They did that?"

"They got the huge slingshot, helped Mikey with it, and they pummeled me with a bunch of water balloons!" Leo said, reenacting the moment, making water sound effects. Casey roared in laughter. "That's not it! Then they drew on my face, which took a shell of a long time to wash off, and then Donnie pushed food in my face! After that, I pretended that they hurt me really bad, and when they felt bad and stuff, asking me if I was okay, I basically threw them across the room! Raph hit the wall and Mikey fell on Donnie, and they fell in their own glue trap. It was hilarious!"

"Dude, that's awesome! They so got you and you so got them! You guys don't mess around, yo," Casey shook his head, grinning from cheek to cheek. "But is that all that happened with the eggs? I mean, that's it?"

"Oh, I forgot," Leo lifted up the manhole cover for the sewer up for Casey, letting him climb down with the bags he had first. Leo looked around, making sure they weren't seen and continued. "When they went to sleep- careful with that step- and I was still hungry, mind you, I went to the kitchen and pulled out the eggs. I started cracking some and put it in the frying pan, and then suddenly, poof! There was purple flash smoke in my face. They planted some smoke bombs with the real eggs." Rolling his eyes as Casey started to laugh loudly again, he dragged himself down the hole and closed it, climbing then jumping down onto the wet floor of the sewers. "So that's how it went down, basically."

"Oh, man, we gotta do one of those together some time! You and me- we could team up against them! Ol Case and Leo," Casey wrapped his arm around Leo's broad arms and brought him close. "Prankin' them like they ain't even pranked before."

"Okay," Leo nodded, smiling. "Next time they're planning something against me, I'll call you and see if you can help. Maybe even get April in on it if she can."

"Speakin' of April, has she come down yet? I remember she wanted to come down, but I don't know if she did."

"Oh, yeah, she came down here the other day," Leo replied. "She ate most of our pizza and then got us some pizza gyoza. She hasn't been back down since. She's been having a hard time adjusting, I think."

"Whatcha mean? I thought she was doin' okay, she helped feed people and stuff to get New Yorkers back and at it."

"I know, but she feels like things are different. Plus she has to worry about Kirby. She said she'd come whenever she could, but we haven't really seen her since."

"Mm," Casey hummed in thought. "How about next time I come down, or she comes down, we both come together? So it'll be all fun and stuff. So we don't feel weird or anythin'."

"If you can do that, by all means, go for it," Leo agreed. "We don't know when that is, though. New York is still New York. We have to patrol the nights, you and April have to fix your homes and adjust and stuff, crime is still a thing, I don't know," Leo shrugged, kicking a little pebble, watching as the light of the lair covered it. "Even though things are normal, it's like they're not or whatever."

"That's deep, yo," Casey replied as they walked in the lair. "Hey, Splinter, we're here!"

"Let's just put the stuff in the kitchen," Leo said, heading towards there. Setting down the bags he managed to carry despite his sore muscles, Leo rubbed his arms and stretched carefully. "You can put it down on the counter, I'll put it up later."

"Hey, Leo, I know we don't hang out a lot, just us two, but I had fun today."

Leo turned his head around and smiled softly. "Me too, Casey. We should try again some time."

"Yeah, I-"

"Casey?" a yawn interrupted them. "Whatcha doin' with Lame-o-nardo?"

"Sleeping Beauty," Leo said sarcastically, chuckling as Raph stuck out his tongue. "Sleep okay, Raph?"

"Yeah, man," Raph stretched up his arms, hissing a bit. "You sure know how to set a turtle straight, Leo, my shell is killin' me." Casey started smiling, trying to choke back his laughter. Leo looked at Casey and did the same, confusing Raph. "What?"

"Leo told me 'bout how he handed your shell to you, it was so hilarious!" Casey laughed, earning a glare from his best friend. "I gotta get in on one of those with you guys."

"Count on it," Raph snickered, slapping Casey on the back. "Hope Leo didn't bore ya too bad."

"Nah, we had a pretty chill day," Casey smiled. "Ya had to be there. Ah, the paper," Casey glanced at Leo, whose face was red from holding back his laughter.

"O-kay," Raph said, more confused than ever. Hearing two yawns behind him, Raph turned around and smiled. "Hey, look who joined the party."

"Mm, I need some coffee or something," Donnie mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Hey Mikey, you should get the bread out- wait, we don't have bread."

"Oh, I think your hunger problems are solved, Don," Casey smiled, waving his hands to the counter.

"Is that... _food_?! **FOOD**! Oh, my sweet, precious food!" Mikey yelped, running to the counter and bringing all what Casey and Leo bought in his embrace, snuggling his face to it.

"Hehe, now you made the word 'food' sound weird," Donnie chuckled. "Fooooood."

"Fooooooooooddddah," Mikey tapped his chin, smiling at the sound. "Hey, it does sound weird! Foooood." In no time, all the guys were saying food, all laughing at how funny it sounded to them. In the laughter, Casey and Leo looked at each other, big smiles on their faces.


	35. A Missing Conflict

"Master Splinter, we're going out for our night patrol," Michelangelo called out as he and his brothers headed out of the lair.

"Not tonight you will not," Splinter's voice carried throughout the lair, his sons freezing in place.

"Sensei?" Mikey questioned, all their heads turning to face their father's. They were met with a stern look, which all gave them the shivers. "Uh oh."

"Indeed, Michelangelo," Splinter nodded, narrowing his eyes at his sons. "Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo."

"Sensei," the three said in unison, puzzled looks on their faces.

"Although you three cleaned up most of your mess, I have noticed that you only cleaned what would be seen, not the entire mess itself."

"What mess?" Mikey asked.

"Your prank war with Leonardo," Splinter crossed his arms, watching as all of his sons faces flushed.

"Are we gonna spar or somethin', Sensei? I'm not really up for-"

"Raphael, no. You will clean the rest of your mess and will stay down here for tonight as punishment for trying to sneak this past me."

"Hai, Sensei," the three said, their shoulders dropping as they parted ways to get supplies to clean. "Nice one, Don. _'Just clean 'til you'd barely notice,'_ yeah right," Raph hissed, fists clenched. Leo went to get a mop, proceeding to help.

"Leonardo, I did not instruct you to help your brothers," Splinter said, stopping Leo.

"Well, I was part of it. Plus, we're in it together," Leo shrugged, indifferent. "It's no problem at all."

"Hm," Splinter let out a small smile, patting his son's head. "That is one quality in a great leader."

"Thanks, Sensei," Leo smiled bashfully, picking up the mop. He went over to his brothers and laughed as Mikey and Raph splashed some water on each other, the two started to argue. Splinter smiled at his teenage sons before he went back into his room, leaving them to clean. Donnie grabbed a sponge and started scrubbing a wall, sticking his tongue out in focus. Raph decided he would sweep while Mikey and Leo handled mopping and wiping down things. "Careful, Mikey," Leo warned. "I just mopped that spot for a while."

"I'll be fine," Mikey waved the leader off. "I'm super smooth, ain't nothing gonna make me slip."

"I find that hard to believe," Donnie snickered. "Just wait, you'll slip up soon."

"Way to keep the faith!" Mikey stuck his tongue out at Donnie, pouting as Donnie laughed. "Man, at least there's not a lot to wipe up."

"Yeah, that's 'cause you're just wiping down the counters and stuff; we're doin' the real work 'cause you'd just mess things up more!" Raph barked, his fingertips white from gripping the handle of the broom so hard. Mikey slumped his shoulders and tilted his head down to the floor, feeling demeaned and a bit hurt. Leo was surprised at the sudden outburst. Leo quickly went to Mikey's side and rubbed circles onto his youngest brother's shell, shooting Raph a strange look.

"Easy, Raph," Leo said slowly, becoming curious. "Why are you so mad?"

"He's always mad," Donnie rolled his eyes at Leo's question. "Why bother asking."

"I'm not always mad!" Raph hissed, throwing down the broom and stomping over to the purple-masked turtle, his fist raised in the air.

"Woah, Raph, hold up," Leo said in a calm tone, setting aside the mop and walking over to Raph. He stepped in front of the hothead and looked into Raph's green eyes. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothin'," Raph muttered, walking back to his spot and picking up the broom, resuming his chore. "Forget it."

"I told you, Leo," Donnie whispered lowly, taking precaution as he talked to his brother. "It's no use asking. He won't budge."

"I don't know, Donnie," Leo whispered back, watching as Raph swept poorly and disappeared into his room. "Something's up."

After cleaning the rest of their mess, making sure there was no traces left, the three turtles all collapsed onto their couch.

"Man, Raph was sure a big help," Donnie said sarcastically. "A hothead oughta help."

"Ease up, D," Mikey protested. "He did say he didn't want to clean anything else up. Look what we had to do."

"I don't see how that's a legit reason for him to stop whatever he's doing and just go off, leaving us all the work to do." Donnie stood up, stretched, and looked towards his lab. "I'ma go work on some stuff, I guess."

"You do that, I'm," Mikey snuggled into the couch, getting comfortable. "Gonna sleep. Night, dudes." Leo smiled a bit at his little brother, yawning a bit.

Donnie walked into his lab and shut the doors, going over to his desk. He sat down in front of his computer and tried to distract himself by researching things, but the thing in his mind was bothering him. He picked up the pencil next to his mouse and pulled out a piece of paper, propping up his elbow and resting his head in his hand as he doodled onto the paper. He sighed as he examined his finished drawing. He rubbed his hand over his face tiredly and yawned, resting his head on his arms and continuing to stare at his doodle.

"Things would be more fun if you were here," Donnie whispered to his doodle of April. He sneaked a glance at the other side of the paper, letting out a little smile at his doodle of Casey. "Even you, puck-mouth."

While Donnie brooded in his lab in seclusion, Leo's curiosity was getting the best of him. He rose from the couch and strolled over to the area where his and his brother's rooms were, staring at Raph's slightly ajar door. He mentally debated whether or not to confront Raph about his outburst and what possibly lead to it. Before he could think, he found his hand rising to the door and tapping on it lightly. Hearing a slight shuffle in the room, Leo knew Raph was awake. He took a little step forward, his hand on the door.

"Raph?" Leo whispered, unsure if Raph was falling asleep and wanted some quiet. "Can I come in?"

"Mm, sure," Raph yawned back. Leo stepped in and shut the door, the only light provided by Raph's dim lights. "Need something?"

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to talk about something," Leo said, sitting down on the floor beside Raph's bed. "To see if you wanted to get anything off your chest."

"Psht," Raph tried to shrug off the topic, wrapping his hands under his head. He sighed a bit. "I don't think it matters."

"If it's bothering you so much, it's got to matter."

"Wise words from a dork," Raph snickered.

"Do you want me to leave? I can if you want."

"I'm just knocking your shell," Raph replied. "It's just- patrol is kind of the only time we can probably get a chance to see Casey or April. Just seeing them would kinda make me feel better about the whole 'we barely see em' thing. Today we didn't go on patrol. What if they were out and we lost the chance to even say hi or just wave at them? I feel bad for blowing up on Mikey, but I don't really know how else to handle this." After receiving no response from Leo, Raph shifted slightly, feeling a bit insecure. "Got any wise words to offer me or something?"

Leo sighed. "I don't really have anything. I know we all miss them, it's bothering us all. I get what you mean, though. It's the only chance we get to at least see them every day, and when we lose a chance, we lose seeing them. It sucks."

"How are you handlin' all this?" Raph asked, a bit curious.

"I just train until it's off my mind. You know me. It doesn't really work but it doesn't hurt to try. I try meditating with Master Splinter but I keep losing focus."

"You work yourself too hard, Leo," Raph replied, turning on his side to face Leo better. "You gotta ease up."

"I know, but it's the one thing that comes to mind to do when I'm in a rut or something. I know Mikey reads his comics or watches his tv shows to try to keep his mind off the subject, Don just locks himself in his lab and thinks about it a lot, and you- you either punch your punching bag or blow up on someone or both. But you don't usually blow up that easily, so I know something was bothering you bad."

"Well Don doesn't either know the difference or care to point it out."

"Like I said, we're all dealing with it in our own way. Maybe he's unsure about whether to bring it up- maybe he doesn't want to bring it up 'cause he thinks it'd make us miss them more or make Mikey sad or something."

"That brain of his sure does think of things that might happen. Hey!"

"What?"

"What if we try to see them instead of waiting for them to come down here?"

"I don't kn-"

"Just think about it! It's hard for them to come down here since the streets are so busy and everyone on. the surface is startin to feel comfortable and stuff. We're ninjas! We can sneak past people easy. We can pop in and give them a surprise visit and catch up and whatever, or call em and tell em to meet us somewhere."

"Raph," Leo said quietly, a sad tone in his voice. "I'm not sure about that. We're supposed to stay down here tonight, for one thing. Two, maybe Kirby wouldn't be comfortable seeing us- I mean, we kind of are responsible for him being mutated for the second time, he might want us to give him some space. Three, Casey's gotta deal with his dad and his little sister and take care of them. We should wait until they find the time to come hang out instead of invading some personal space or something." He sighed sadly as he watched Raph's enthusiastic expression soon fade. "I'm sorry. I wish it was that easy."

"Nothin' is ever easy for us," Raph mumbled, turning on his other side, facing away from Leo.

"Raph, I-"

"It's whatever, Leo. I know. I'm just gonna go to sleep."

"Okay," Leo tried to say casually. "Do you want me to turn off the lights?" He asked, gulping as his voice cracked.

"Yeah." Leo switched off the light and headed for the door. Raising his head up, Raph was hesitant to ask. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah!" Leo said quickly, his voice once again cracking under pressure. "Get some sleep." Leo shut Raph's door and zoomed into his own room, burrowing under the covers in his bed. He let his head fall in the palms of his hands and bit down on his lip, resting the side of his head on his pillow. He raised his legs to his chest and plucked off his mask, setting it aside. Before he could sleep, there was a light tap at his door. "Who is-" Leo quickly cleared his throat before speaking again. "Who is it?"

"Leo?" Mikey whispered, peeking his head in. Little bags under Mikey's eyes, Leo sat up a bit, rubbing his eyes. "Can I maybe sleep on the Leo pillow?"

"Uh, sure," Leo nodded. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Mikey said incoherently, taking off his mask and setting it on top of Leo's. He slid into Leo's bed and pulled some covers over himself. "Kinda."

"You miss them?" Leo asked, raising his arm so Mikey could burrow his head under Leo's chin comfortably. Mikey snuggled close to Leo and nodded, his head starting to get warm from Leo's body warmth. "We all do. We'll see them soon."

"I hope so," Mikey mumbled, nuzzling his head more into the crook of Leo's neck. "Can you rub my shell?"

"Mhm." Leo started to rub small circles on Mikey's shell, then just plain out rubbed his hand up and down. Leo rested his chin on top of Mikey's head, slowly closing his eyes. He jumped a bit when his slightly ajar door opened a bit more, revealing a tall figure. Leo squinted his eyes, raising his hand up to block the sudden bright light from getting in his eyes. "Donnie?"

"Listen, I know I don't really do this, but-" Seeing a movement under Leo, Donnie stopped midsentence, starting to back away. "Never mind."

"Donnie, what?" Leo asked, demanding to know.

"I just," Donnie sighed awkwardly. "I wanted to, uh, sleep with you tonight." Leo shot him a confused look. "I know I usually bail out whenever you ask if I want to, but tonight, I feel like I just have to, but Mikey's already here, so I can just do it another time-"

"No, no, it's fine," Leo said assuringly. "There's plenty of room." Leo patted the spot behind him, shifting a bit to widen the gap for Donnie. "Come lay down."

"You sure? You already have Mikey on your hands."

"Get in," Leo said blankly, pointing to the space. Donnie smiled nervously and crawled behind Leo. Donnie pulled his knees up to his chest and nuzzled his head onto Leo's shell as Leo threw over some blanket on Donnie. "Get some sleep and get comfortable, don't worry about me." Donnie nodded and threw an arm over Leo. Leo snatched off Donnie's mask and set it aside with his and Mikey's mask.

Unsure if Raph would join, Leo stayed awake for a little longer awaiting for Raph. After nothing happened, Leo sighed and snuggled between his two brothers, his head sinking into his pillow. Leo was slowly falling asleep. Only minutes away from falling asleep surely, there was a shifting sound and a light dragging noise coming towards his room. Leo's tired, narrowed eyes darted to his doorway and saw a broad figure slowly coming toward him, a blanket wrapped around it. Leo lowered his eyelids to have the appearance of being asleep as Raph's features started to become clear. Raph burrowed his way between Donnie, propping a leg over Leo's legs and slinging an arm over Leo as he covered himself with his own blanket. After a minute, Leo listened to his three brothers' deep breathing, the soothing sounds making him sleepy. He saw another figure in the doorway, but it didn't come in. Leo tiredly smiled at his father's figure and closed his eyes, wanting to sleep. Splinter smiled softly at his sons sleeping together in Leo's room and shut the door, leaving them to rest.

* * *

Hearing barely any sounds in the morning was normal for Master Splinter. Leonardo was usually the only one awake early at this hour and would make minimal sounds. But hearing no noise at all peaked Splinter's suspicions. Leonardo was quiet, but not this silent. Splinter rose from his quarters and strolled to Leonardo's room, peeking his head into Leo's room. Seeing all his sons still slumbering in the average bed, he shut the door, his nerves at ease. Hours passed by and the silence still filled the air. Splinter checked his sons once again and saw that they were still sleeping, the only difference were their positions. It was noon, so he didn't worry much. When the hour struck 3 o'clock, Splinter became a bit agitated with his worrying nerves. He stepped into the room and felt an unusual weight in the air. He shook Mikey first to wake. Mikey stirred wildly, making Leo stir a bit, Donnie let out a little mumble, and Raph a little grunt as he burrowed deeper between his brothers. Splinter narrowed his eyes and grabbed a corner of the blanket, whipping it off of his sons. Mikey whined and tried to search for the blanket with his hands while the other three shivered and bundled closer.

"My sons," Splinter said. "It is 3 in the afternoon, it is time for you all to wake."

"Mm, just 5 more minutes, Master Splinter," Leo mumbled, snuggling closer to Mikey. Mikey immediately went in Leo's embrace, absorbing warmth.

"You have all slept enough." Splinter gently grabbed Mikey's wrist and slowly got Mikey on his feet. Mikey groaned tiredly, his head tilted down and his legs barely standing straight. "You have exceeded your time of slumber."

"Sensei," Mikey yawned, trying to flop back onto the bed. "Pleeeeeease."

"Please, father," Donnie mumbled, opening his eyes only a bit to look at Splinter, his eyes enhancing his tired expression. Splinter's eyes landed on Donnie's droopy ones, his fatherly instincts taking over.

"One hour more, and that is all I will allow," Splinter said, giving in. Donnie offered a tired smile before closing his eyes back and falling back to sleep. Mikey flopped back beside Leo and nuzzled his head in Leo's neck. Splinter covered them with the blanket and left them to sleep for one more hour. The hour seemed to pass by too slowly for Splinter, no matter what he did, the time was at odds with him. It felt more like days than minutes that passed by awaiting the next hour. _Perhaps their teenage minds are beginning to adopt the trait of sleeping hours more than necessary_ , Splinter thought to himself. After the time finally struck to 4 o'clock, Splinter didn't hesitate to make sure his sons got out of the room and into the living room. They all collapsed onto the couch and sat limp, all their eyes closed and their postures poor. "My sons!" They all lamely raised their heads, tiredly looking at their father.

"Yes, Sensei," they said in unison, awaiting his words.

"In the dojo at once."

"Hai, Sensei," they said, slowly dragging themselves to the training area. They all sat down and bowed before Splinter, trying desperately to stay awake.

"My sons, why have you slept more than necessary today?" Splinter asked. Only getting a few shrugs as a response, Splinter furrowed his eyes. "Speak up."

"We're just," Raph yawned. "tired, Sensei."

"You four would usually wake up per my words."

"We're sorry, Master Splinter," Leo said, smacking his lips. "We honestly don't know why we're so tired."

"Yeah, usually I do, but today, I really don't," Mikey added, rubbing his eyes.

"Anything to add, Donatello?"

"I have no clue," Donnie replied, stretching his arms up. "I'd be concerned if I wasn't so tired."

"What time did you all sleep last night?"

"I thought you would know, Master Splinter," Leo replied. "You closed my door when you saw the four of us sleeping. It couldn't have been very late if you were awake."

"It was only about 10 at night," Splinter commented, stroking his narrow beard. "I am truly puzzled as to why you are all very tired. Mayhaps you all are grieving about something?"

"We miss April and Casey," Mikey said, his head leaning down toward the ground. "We're all pretty bummed about not seeing them."

"Is that so?" Splinter said, the situation making sense now. "Hmm. You may all go back to sleep now if you wish."

"Thank you, Sensei," the four said, quickly stumbling to their feet and hurrying back to Leo's room. Splinter decided to put matters into his own hands. Not wanting their sadness to consume them any further than it already had, Splinter dialed one of his son's phones and put it to his ear.

"Raph? Hey, dude, what's goin-"

"Casey, it is Master Splinter."

"Oh, uh, sup, Splinter?" Casey asked awkwardly over the line. "Is somethin' up?"

"I was wondering when you planned to visit my sons. You and April."

"I was gonna drop by tonight, actually. I can call April and see if she can come with me, if you want. Is there something bad happening to the guys?"

"They are fine, they are currently sleeping as we speak."

"Sleeping? What the- I'm gonna call April. She'll call you after."

Casey quickly dialed April, hoping she would pick up despite the long dial tone. He mentally cheered when she picked up. "What's up, Casey?"

"Hey, Red, we should try stopping by the lair tonight."

"I think I can do that, actually," April said, excitement filling her. "Are they waiting for us right now?"

"Nah, Splinter says they're sleeping."

" _Sleeping_?"

"I know! Weird, right? I'm glad I wasn't the only one that thought that."

"That and the fact Master Splinter called you. I hope they're okay, I don't think they went on patrol yesterday. Did they? Do you know?"

"No, they didn't. I didn't see 'em when I was walkin outside."

"Okay. Well, meet me at the swings, and then we'll go see them. Sound good?"

"Name the time and we got a deal."

* * *

Constantly shifting due to his discomfort, Donnie decided it was time he woke up. Once Donnie climbed out of Leo's bed, Raph quickly took Donnie's spot and continued sleeping. Grabbing his mask and stepping out into the well-lit lair, Donnie searched for the time. Surprised by the hour, he rubbed his eyes and walked to the training area. There he saw Master Splinter meditating. He slowly walked beside his father and sat on his knees, waiting for Splinter to finish his meditation. Splinter opened his eyes and faced Donnie.

"Sorry to disturb you, Sensei," Donnie bowed.

"How did you sleep, Donatello?" Splinter asked, petting the top of Donnie's head.

"Really long, apparently. But well."

"What troubles you four in all honesty?"

"Like we said earlier, we miss our friends. We saved New York, and that's amazing, obviously. But we all have new responsibilities and barely get to hang out together. We all miss each other. I just hope we all get to hang out soon. We all really need it. The only time we could see them every day is on patrol, and even then we don't see them sometimes. It sucks not to be able to see them, Master Splinter."

"You will all soon rejoin, Donatello." Splinter gave Donnie a reassuring smile before rising. "Do not worry, my son."

"Thank you, Sensei," Donnie nodded, standing and walking out. He soon saw his brothers walking out of Leo's room, their masks on their faces.

"Man, what's the time?" Raph asked, stretching his arms up.

"It's about 8 at night," Donnie replied, smiling at their shocked expressions. "I know!"

"Duuuuudes, we slept so long," Mikey chuckled, rubbing his head. "It was an awesome sleep, though."

"You're telling me," Leo smiled, rubbing his eyes as he arched his shell. "You guys sleep good on the best pillow ever?" Realizing what he said after his three younger brothers shot him disturbed looks, Leo groaned at himself. "That was a wrong choice of words."

"Yeah, we did," Raph nodded, giving Leo a tired smile. "Hey, Leo," Raph whispered, pulling Leo aside. "Sorry about yesterday."

"Don't worry about it," Leo smiled, playfully pushing Raph aside. "So guys, who's-"

"Hungry!" A voice boomed throughout the lair. The turtles turned to the entrance, their faces beaming at the sight they faced.

"Casey! April!" The four cheered, running over to the two teens. Casey smiled as Raph tightly embraced him and spun him around. Leo and Donnie both hugged April and started talking to her. Mikey was amazed at the object in Casey's hand, swiping it away. "Pizza!" Mikey cooed, rubbing his face against the warm box.

"Oh, man, it's about time you came around!" Raph laughed, slapping Casey on the back playfully.

"Hey, you too, dude," Casey smiled, punching Raph in the arm. "Leo, Don! What's up, bros?"

"Raph," April smiled, holding her arms out. "Come on!"

"Just this once," Raph smiled, hugging her. "Only 'cause you were away for so long. Did you guys happen to bring pizza?"

"Yeah, Casey has- Casey, where's the pizza?"

"Pizza- Mikey!" Casey shrieked, watching as Mikey clutched tightly onto the box of pizza. "Give it here! That's for all of us!"

"You're gonna have to get it from me!" Mikey yelled, starting to run as Donnie, Casey and Raph darted in his direction. Leo and April stayed behind and laughed as they watched the guys chasing each other around the lair. Leo and April smiled at each other.

"Miss me?" April joked, elbowing Leo. Leo chuckled, returning the gesture.

"Let's just say we know how much all of us missed each other."

"Yeah. It's good to see you guys."

"I bet you're pretty excited."

"Of course, it's been so long."

"No, not that, I meant the other thing."

"Other thing? What other thing?"

"You know... you wanted to spar... in front of Master Splinter..."

"Oh, yeah! I forgot! I was just excited to see you guys."

"We can spar later, it's still pretty early. In the meantime, you need to catch me up on what you guys have done. I'll do the same."

"Seems fair. I just hope I get to get a slice of pizza out of this, I'm hungry." April went to the entrance of the lair and came back with another box in her hands, raising it to Leo. Leo smiled in awe. "You always come prepared. Let's ketchup!" Leo laughed at his lame joke, smiling nervously at April's blank stare at his joke. He cleared his throat and smiled innocently, both of them walking over to the others.


	36. Leader vs. Training Kunoichi

"Really, Leo? _'Let's ketchup'_? Real comedy material," Raphael snickered. April had told them Leonardo's lame attempt to make a joke and now he was being taunted and teased. She felt slightly guilty but she had to admit, the results were entertaining. Leo lowered his head down to shoulder level and darted his eyes away, his face flushed.

"Hey, even if it is a lame joke, it is pretty funny," Michelangelo came to Leo's aide, finding the joke to be a bit amusing. "Lame jokes are always funny! I don't see how you didn't laugh, April. That is lamely funny."

"More like adorable," April laughed. "It's so lame that it's adorable."

" _Adorable_?" Casey and Donatello both blurted in unison, a bit nerved.

"Guys, haven't I had enough?" Leo asked. "Now I shouldn't even make any jokes."

"No, no, really, I wanna see what other jokes you've got!" Mikey chirped. "Shoot!"

"Erm, now?" Leo asked. "I don't wanna embarrass myself more than I already have. Kudos to April," Leo shot her a look. "Let's not."

"Awh, come on! Just one, you've got to have at least one more lame joke up your sleeve."

"Ugh, fine," Leo cleared his throat as all eyes went on him. He smiled nervously and sighed. "Okay. So there's a watermelon. It's in love."

"Barf, neeext," Raph joked, getting a laugh out of Casey.

"Let me finish! Okay, so the watermelon says, 'Let's run away together!' to its lover. Its lover says, 'I can't.' The watermelon asks, 'Why not?' The lover, who is a cantaloupe, replies, 'I cantaloupe!' Get it?" Leo scanned the faces staring at him and he immediately flushed again. "I should really shut up."

"April's right," Mikey smiles, biting on the insides of his cheeks.

"What do you mean?" Leo asks.

"It's so lame it's adorable! It's _lamedorable_ \- no no wait, **ladorable**!" Mikey pinches Leo's cheeks as he coos to Leo.

"Mikey," Leo grumbles, his cheeks heating up now. "How about we do something else?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Maybe you could make one of your homemade pizzas since we have food supplies now?"

"Yes! Yes yes yes!" Mikey jumped up and grabbed Leo's wrist, dragging him to the kitchen. "Okay, where is the dough?"

"Mo dough, mo problems, amirite?" Leo elbows Mikey, feeling confident in his zinger. After Mikey gives him a blank stare, he growls. "Geez, I can't win today."

"Knock on wood," Mikey replied immediately. "Seriously, go knock on wood."

"Wha- okay?" Leo ran over to Donnie, grabbed his bow staff, knocked on it, dropped it and ran back into the kitchen.

"Leo! What the shell?" Donnie yelled to him.

"Sorry!" Leo hollered back. "Okay, find the dough?"

"Yeperooni!" Mikey slammed it onto the counter, his hands a bit covered with flour. "What are we putting on this puppy?"

"What do you want?"

"Hm." Mikey ran out to the others and asked what they wanted. He came back with a stumped expression on his face. "They said 'whatever, just don't make it nasty' like what? What do you want? Cheese? Peperonni? Sausage? What the shell!"

"Hey, hey, calm down," Leo smiled. "Just make a cheese pizza, plain and simple. I'll just give them some juice. Chef Mikey is fiesty."

"Fiesty is what gets food on the table, Leo!"

Leo poured some juice in cups and came out with them, handing one to each of them. As soon as Leo sat down, their eyes landed on him. Shifting uncomfortably, Leo groaned. "What?"

"I finally got it," Raph said. "The cantaloupe joke- that's kinda funny. Lame, but funny."

"You just now caught on?" Leo asked. "Never mind."

"So Leo, April told us you're gonna spar with her again," Donnie starts. Leo felt as if Donnie's stare was pressing into him. "When are you gonna spar?"

"Later..." Leo replied slowly. "April why do you keep repeating things I say?"

"I don't know," April shrugged, trying to flash Leo an innocent smile. "Just felt necessary. So when are we?"

"I told you earlier we would later." Leo shot her a confused glance. "I'm gonna go see what kind of pizza Mikey is making." Leo quickly scrambled to his feet and averted into the kitchen, peeking out and watching his two brothers and two friends. "The shell?"

"What?" Mikey asked, quickly licking off the pizza sauce on his finger.

"I don't know, I feel weird," Leo replied. "I'm gonna go hang out in the dojo or something. What pizza is it, by the way?"

"I was gonna do cheese, but this 'zza needs some pizazz, yanno? So I added peperonni."

"Okay, just tell me when it's ready, okay?" Leo bolted out of the kitchen and into the dojo. He stared at the beautiful tree and the light shining down on it and started to calm down a bit. He sat down in front of it and closed his eyes, steadying his breathing.

"At peace, my son?" Leo jumped at the voice and turned around, smiling as his eyes landed on Master Splinter.

"Sensei, you startled me," Leo smiled. "Yeah. I am."

"Nature has a way of easing the nerves and calming the spirit. Does something trouble you, Leonardo?"

"That's the thing, I don't know. I felt okay and happy because Casey and April are finally down here. I reminded her of our sparring session and I said we could do it later, but she told the guys and I don't know why, but I feel this intense pressure. It came out of nowhere, and I have nothing to feel pressured about."

"Perhaps it is just the oblivious fact that your brothers, Casey and April are making you the center of attention that is making you feel pressured."

"Maybe. I guess my lame jokes are so bad it hits me," Leo smiled weakly. "You're going to watch us spar, right, Sensei? That's the whole point of the sparring session, after all."

"Of course, Leonardo. I smell cheese. Is Michelangelo making a pizza?"

"Yeah," Leo chuckled. "Want a slice after it's cooked?" Hearing a shriek from the kitchen, Leo lept to his feet. "Put a pin in that, I'll be right back, Sensei." Leo ran to the kitchen and looked around, seeing no one in sight. "Mikey? Mikey, are you okay? I heard you scream- if that was even a scream, sounded more like a shrill. Krill shrill," Leo laughed at himself. "Uh, I mean, are you okay? Where did you even go?"

"Here!"

"Holy shell-" Leo immediately swung his fists, freezing them when they were about to collide with Mikey's face. "I'm so sorry- no, why'd you do that?!"

"Don't freak out," Mikey cooed.

"What?" Mikey backed Leo into the counter and smiled at him. "Mikey..."

"Leo," Mikey replied. "Thank you."

"Huh?" Leo was baffled. "Thank me for what?"

"Being your pushy, nerdy, annoying self these past couple days," Raph added, pulling Leo's head in his embrace.

"Being respectful and understanding," Donnie piled on, smiling sweetly at Leo.

"Being nice and huggy," Mikey smiled. "Pushing aside your feelings to help us out with ours."

"Heh, uhm," Leo smiled nervously, not understanding still. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Don't play dumb," Raph snickered. "Yanno, when we were down about being stuck down here or not seein' April and Casey, or when we'd complain about how things don't feel the same- all that mushy feeling stuff. You tried to help us out even when you were kinda bummed out too."

"We wanted to thank you, Leo." Donnie shrugged bashfully. "You're a good big brother." Then Donnie and Mikey wrapped their arms around Leo and Raph, nuzzling their heads against Leo. Raph patted Leo's shell and tightened his embrace around him. Leo looked down at his three brothers smothering him and he felt warm- happy. He hugged them back and smiled. Donnie was the first to let go. "So, sparring with April, huh?"

"Hehe, yeah," Leo shrugged. "She wants Master Splinter to watch. I'ma assume you guys are too, huh?"

"Smart thinking," Raph joked, elbowing Leo. He left his brothers to talk amongst themselves in the kitchen and headed out. He was met by April and he jumped a bit in surprise. "Woah, April, ya kinda scared me there."

"I figured," April smiled. "So, mushy feeling stuff, huh?" April arched her eyebrow up and smiled smugly at the red-banded terrapin, chuckling as he flushed a bit. "Didn't know you shared your feelings."

"I don't," Raph waved her off, trying to drop the topic.

"Seemed like you did. You know, Casey missed you. I missed you too. We missed all of you."

"Yeah, we know. It's good that we're all seein' each other again so none of us coulda got even more bummed out. That woulda been bad."

"Jeesh, Raph," April rolled her eyes.

"What?"

"I was trying to get a mutual understanding but I guess I'll just have to shoot," April said. She threw her arms around Raph and waited for Raph to do something. She wanted to hug him. She didn't care if he would pull away or if he would just stand there. She wanted to hug all of them. Raph hesitantly raised an arm up and wrapped it around her back. He raised the other and hugged her, then after a couple of seconds pulled away. "You should work on your hinting skills," April joked, playfully shoving him.

"Wh-whatever," Raph mumbled, feeling a bit warm from the hug. He jogged up to Casey's side and went into the dojo with him. Meanwhile April walked into the kitchen. As soon as she did, the three turtles' conversation was put to a halt.

"Mikey," April smiled, holding her arms out. Mikey perked up and ran to her, pulling her in his arms. He lifted her up and spun around a bit, both of them laughing.

"My good ol' freckle buddy is finally back!" Mikey chirped, setting her down and hugging her tightly. "We can finally do that prank war after you and Leo spar!"

"Oh my gosh, yes!" April bounced. "If that's okay with everyone else, that is."

"Mikey, we just cleaned up the mess from the other one," Leo pointed out, crossing his arms. Mikey pouted out his lip and pulled the puppy eyes. Leo sighed in defeat, he just couldn't say no. "Fine. Tell Raph and Casey."

"Booyakasha!" Mikey piped up, running out of the kitchen. Leo shook his head and smiled.

"Good to have you back, April," Leo said as he was walking out.

"No no no," April said, grabbing and tugging on his wrist. He spun on his heels a bit and widened his eyes as she hugged him tightly. He chuckled and hugged her back, then went to follow Mikey.

"I'll see you when you're ready to spar?" Leo questioned.

"For sure," April nodded. "There's no backing out, Leo," she joked. Leo gave her a playful challenging look, then left her and Donnie alone. She turned and they both gazed at each other for a moment. Donnie let out a little smile and rubbed the back of his head. She flashed Donnie a big smile as her eyes glazed a bit. "Donnie," she said softly, walking towards him a bit. "Gosh, you don't know how much I missed you. I'm sorry I couldn't call you back sometimes when you did, I really wanted to, but-"

"Don't worry about it," Donnie said, looking down at her, his eyes soft and tender. "You know I'm always there for you, even when you don't want me to be."

"I know." April slid her arms behind his shell and nuzzled him a bit. "Thank you." She then wrapped her arms around Donnie's neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Donnie hugged her back and pressed the top of his head on top of hers, enjoying her embrace that he waited so long for. He pulled away and chuckled a bit.

"We should get you in there. I know you've been waiting to spar," Donnie acknowledged. "Shall we?"

"We shall," April laughed, following behind Donnie. "I'm kinda nervous."

"Why? 'Cause Master Splinter is watching?"

"Exactly that," April replied.

"You'll do great, I know you will. Show him what you've learned." They both walked into the training area and saw the rest of the teens huddled around and talking. All eyes landed on the two standing. Mikey waved his hand over to them for them to join, so they did. "We all ready?"

"Me and April?" Leo corrected. Donnie rolled his eyes playfully. "I am, and I'm sure April is, too. Should I get Master Splinter now, or do you want to wait a couple of minutes?" Leo asked, looking at April.

"Let's get to it," April replied, raising her fists up.

Leo nodded and jogged to Splinter's part of the room. Splinter came back beside Leo and everyone sat. Leo and April stayed standing and walked to opposite sides of the room. Splinter looked at the two teens and waited for them to become ready. Leo slid a foot out in front of him a bit and bent down a bit, ready to either charge or avoid an oncoming attack. April simply raised her fists in the air and bent down slightly, her gaze meeting with Leo's. Raph, Mikey, Donnie and Casey all watched with anticipation. They all awaited the word.

"Hajime."

April took in a big breath of air before she charged full speed towards Leo. She whipped out her tessen and aimed for Leo's plastron. Leo was surprised by how quickly she had charged but quickly shook off the feeling and jumped back. Her arms shot out and grabbed Leo's wrist. She threw him over her shoulder and heard his shell collide with the ground and make a loud "thud" sound. Leo's legs pivoted around April's and he turned his waist, sending her down to the ground. He jumped up quickly before April could send a blow to his face. As she got on her feet, she threw her tessen in Leo's direction. It hit his leg a bit and fell to the ground. She swept her hand on the floor and grabbed it, standing boldly in front of him. Leo narrowed his eyes and took out one of his katanas as she once again charged, ready to hit him with her tessen. He blocked her intended blow and pushed her away, collecting himself quickly.

Master Splinter watched, intrigued. He was impressed by April's speed and dexterity. He closely watched how she charged, how she attacked, how she blocked incoming attacks and how she performed with her tessen. As April swung her leg out at Leo and delivered the blow successfully, he widened his eyes. _She has progressed very well_ , Splinter thought to himself. "Yame."

"Sensei?" Leo panted, puzzled at the call to cease the session.

"April, have you yet sparred with all my sons at once?"

"N-no," April stuttered. She didn't know if she was ready to take on all the turtles by herself and she was far from being confident about doing so.

"You perform as if you have," Splinter said, stroking his long, narrow beard.

"Sh-should we continue, then?" April asked.

"Yes, continue."

April nodded. Leo jumped in front of her and swept his leg under hers, watching as she stumbled back a bit. The leader quickly popped the joints in his fingers before April recovered and began to charge. April narrowed her eyes as she watched Leo prepare a block and decided to do a surprise move. Leo had his arms folded in front of him so as to block April's attack. April copied Leo's position and pressed her arms into his, trying to push the turtle back with as much force as she could. Leo's feet slipped behind him a bit so he curved his feet tightly onto the ground to maintain his footing. April raised up her leg and kneed Leo in the stomach area, sending Leo falling on his carapace. Leo's breath was knocked out of him and he gasped for air. He swallowed hard and dryly, quickly getting up. He raised his fists up, ready for anything April would give. April swung her arm out and almost managed to deliver a blow to the turtle's face but was cut off by Leo's katana.

April flicked her wrist, throwing her tessen at the turtle. The tessen managed to hit Leo in the arm with a good and hard blow. Leo hissed as the sharp weapon had cut his skin open a bit and felt some warm blood come out. April grabbed her weapon and started to try to attack again. He blocked all of her attacks and was ready to make his move. He grabbed her wrists with one hand. April gasped softly and lifted her leg off the ground, swinging it towards him. Leo jerked his body away from her leg and lifted up one of his legs, kicking her in the torso and sent her sliding across the room. She scrambled trying to get to her feet but she wasn't quick enough. Leo ran over to her, pulled out his katana and pointed it down to her face, breathing heavily. The light shimmered onto him and it enhanced his serious facial expression. Their eyes met each others, both nodding with mutual understanding.

Leo offered his hand down to her, a small smile on his face. She smiled back and grabbed it. Leo used his other hand to grab her arm to help pull her up. She grunted as she got on her feet, slinging her arm around Leo. They both walked towards Splinter and sat on their knees, bowing their heads down to him. Raph, Mikey, Donnie and Casey all sat behind the rat master, all their mouths agape as they took in the fight that they had just witnessed. Donnie quickly closed his and proceeded to close Mikey's, not wanting to be caught. Raph and Casey quickly shut theirs as well, awaiting Splinter's words.

"Excellent work, the both of you. Leonardo."

"Yes, Master Splinter?" Leo raised his head up, looking into his father's eyes.

"You are dismissed. As are the rest of you."

"Hai, Sensei," Leo nodded, helping April up on her feet once again. All the teens headed for the the exit.

"April," Splinter called out. "Would you mind staying behind for a moment?"

"Sure," April replied. "I'll catch up with you guys in a minute." She walked back to Splinter and stood in front of him.

"April, you have excelled at how you execute your moves and at what you have learned despite the circumstances you were put under. I am proud of you."

April was touched. She couldn't suppress the smile that came to her face at Splinter's words. Splinter smiled warmly at her. She ran to him and embraced him tightly, her eyes producing hot tears. "Thank you, Master Splinter. That means so much coming from you."

"We still have much training to do, April," Splinter chuckled, hugging her back.

"I know," April laughed. "Still. Thank you."

"You may go back with the others if you'd like."

"Oh, of course," April smiled. She let go of Splinter and started to make her way out. "Can't wait for training, Splinter!" April yelled as she ran out. Splinter shook his head, smiling as she ran out.

"You will become a kunoichi soon," Splinter said as she left. "You will become an outstanding one."


	37. Epilogue

Huddled into a part of the lair, Leonardo, Michelangelo and April watched around their current surroundings. Mikey was filling up the package full of weapons, suppressing his smile. Leo and April were quietly going over the plan, making sure everything was in order and that they would execute it according to so. Casey, Donatello, and Raphael all were snickering in another part of the vast and wide open lair, awaiting their victims to approach their area. Master Splinter decided to stay put in his room so as not to come between the battle. Mikey stepped out first, ready for what lurked around him. Hearing the sound of a trigger being set, he immediately jumped back and watched as the object flying through the air smashed into a wall, its contents splattering to the ground. The orange-banded turtle narrowed his eyes, a smug grin on his face. He threw his weapon at the direction the object flew from and heard a frustrated grunt as it landed.

"Attack!"

Mikey threw water balloons he had on him at that moment towards Raph, Donnie and Casey, laughing hysterically as he saw that they couldn't find a way to escape his mighty prank wrath. Leo and April were trying to suppress their laughs in their corner, readying the next wave of their attack. Raph was being held back by Casey, who could barely keep a hold on him, as he tried to attack Mikey physically and personally. Donnie basked in his Eureka moment, watching as his net flew towards Mikey. The loose ends provided a way for Mikey to lose balance and stumble, the ability of the net to capture him easing ten-fold. Mikey rolled around the floor, the net tightening around him.

"Mikey!"

"Ohh," Mikey groaned, trying to wiggle out from the tight ropes, but every time he moved, it tightened. "Dudes, go on without me!"

"Okay!" April and Leo went up to the top of the lair, the heavy bucket ready to unload. Seeing a sliver of Donnie's green skin in the corner, Leo and April launched their arms out, watching as the red paint slid out of the bucket and over the corner. Casey and Raph jumped out from the corner quickly, yelling. Donnie was about to make a run for it when the paint fell all over him and onto him, the bucket falling right next to him. Donnie opened his tightly shut eyes, an unamused look on his face as he sighed, defeated. The paint dripping off of him and the paint quickly drying, Donnie huffed towards the shower. Mikey laughed at him, his feeling of lost pride soon fading into utter happiness.

Raph and Casey were angered that they were almost hit, so they carried out their next attack. Using the smoke bombs to disappear, Leo and April looked around frantically, trying to track them. Appearing right behind them, Casey and Raph wrapped their arms around Leo and April and lept down, dragging them to the kitchen. Raph having a firm hold on April and Casey struggling to keep hold of Leo, Raph grabbed an egg from the counter and handed it to Casey, grabbing another one. April squirmed around in Raph's big, buff arms, trying to escape. Cracking open the egg, flour poured over her, her vision seeing only white smoke. She coughed and tried to fan it away with little success. She kicked the back of Raph's knee, making him lose his footing. She stumbled out of his grasp and ran out of the flour covered kitchen. With Leo next, Casey, egg in his hand, was ready to do the same to Leo. Leo bumped his head onto Casey's hand, the egg falling to the floor. Leo pushed Casey off of him and ran to the counter, crushing an egg in his hand and blowing the flour in Casey's face, dashing out after. Casey coughed violently, growling as he heard Leo laugh out in the living room.

Raph rubbed the back of his knee, massaging the now aching flesh. It was him against Leo now. Narrowing his eyes through the white smoke and slowly stepping out of the kitchen, Raph looked around the lair, trying to track Leo. _Who am I kiddin'? Leo works himself tired when he's trainin', this ain't gonna be easy_ , Raph thought to himself. Man, April's kick is leavin' a mark, that's for sure. Hearing a slight shift, Raph's mind quickly refocused.

"Lame-o-nardo, ya know it ain't no use," Raph called out, walking around slowly. "I always beat ya; you might as well just come on out now."

"Awh, Raph too big and mighty to play hide and seek?" Leo's voice boomed throughout the lair, a smug tone in his voice.

"Once I find you, you know what's comin," Raph snickered, clenching his fists. "You might as well just make it easier and faster."

"That's no fun, Raph. Do it for Mikey's sake, he loves to watch us play."

"That's true," Mikey added, smiling innocently as he could up at Raph. "Pleeeaaassseee?"

"Ugh," Raph groaned. "I hate when you do that. Fine."

"Amazing!"

A bit irked by Mikey's wording, Raph turned his attention to the tied up turtle. "What did you say?"

"I said," Mikey looked up at Raph, a look in his face. "Now!"

"What?" Mikey jumped up, the net falling off of him in chunks and pieces. Mikey raised his brow at Raph and flashed him a toothy smile. Mikey charged toward Raph, pulling out his nunchucks and wrapping the chains around Raph's carapace. Leo pulled back his arm and watched as his arrows with plunger ends shot towards Raph, all but one of them landing on his shell and two on the back of his head. Raph twitched with every hit and tripped over an arrow that landed on the floor, falling on top of Mikey. Mikey groaned, Raph's buff and muscular body giving him no strength to squirm out from under him. Mikey laughed weakly at the defeated Raph on top of him. Raph glared down at Mikey and grit his teeth, pinning Mikey down and putting all his weight into it. "Say uncle!"

"Uncle! Uncle!" Mikey whined loudly. "Uncle, Raph, Uncle!"

"Raph, I think he gets it," April said, patting off the rest of the flour on her. "You can ease up now."

"Ah, they're just playin' 'round, Red," Casey countered. "Guess you guys won, huh?"

"Ahh, you're not worth it," Raph snickered, climbing off of Mikey. Mikey gasped in a big breath of air.

"Pranked ya," Mikey breathed weakly, a satisfied smile on his face.

"And you didn't want to play," Leo smiled, patting Raph on the shoulder. "You should have."

"Shut up, you dork," Raph said, pushing Leo a bit. Leo helped Raph pluck off the plunge head arrows, smiling confidently as he did. As Leo plucked them off, Raph looked over at April and Casey. They were rough housing a bit, April having an advantage on Casey. Raph rolled his eyes and crossed his arms on his plastron.

"And that's the last one," Leo said, pulling off the last on off of the back of Raph's head. Raph hissed a bit, the suction very tight. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Raph shrugged. Raph helped up Mikey and pulled him aside.

"Ugh, this is gonna be a pain to clean up, dude," Mikey groaned.

"Yeah, yeah," Raph said absentmindedly.

"Yeah... you okay?" Mikey asked.

"Aren't ya a bit... irked?"

" _Irked_?"

"Yeah."

"Why would I be?"

"April."

"What about April?" Mikey looked over at her. "Did she do something?"

"Her training- she's gettin' really good."

"Yeah, it's cool, right!"

"She's getting so good, she's almost as good as us."

"...so?"

"So, it took us 15 years for us to get to where we are now- years of training, pain, learning things for such a long time- she's learning it all in just like, a year. It's a bit unfair if you ask me, Mikey. It took us so long for us to be as great as we are now at butt-kicking, and she's learning it all so quick."

"Well, that's kinda true," Mikey replies, rubbing his chin. "It is taking us a long time."

"C'mon." Raph grabbed Mikey's wrist, walking them both over to the dojo.

"What are we doing?"

"We're gonna talk to Splinter." Raph and Mikey stepped into the room, looking around for their father. Mikey pranced to the middle of the room and spun in a circle, claiming he was 'looking around.' Rolling his eyes at the lame joke, Raph walked towards Splinter's room, slightly opening the doors. Splinter's ear flicked up, hearing Raph's footstep.

"Something trouble you, Raphael?" Master Splinter asked, rising to his feet. Raph backed out of the room as Splinter walked out of it. Raph and Mikey sat on their knees, ready to share their thoughts. Sensing Raph was more troubled than Mikey, Splinter asked Raph what was wrong first.

"Master Splinter, I'm not trying to make you mad or anything, but I think it's kinda unfair that we've been training for our whole lives and stuff and April's only been trainin' for a short time, and she's almost as good as us. I don't think it's cool that she's learning everything we've learned in such a short time so fast! We've been working our shells off just to be as good as we are now, and we still have a lot to learn! Why does she get to learn everything so quick, Sensei?"

"Michelangelo? What do you have to say about this matter?"

"I can see where Raph's comin' from, Sensei, she is getting as good as we are so fast. I think it's cool-" Raph harshly nudges Mikey with his elbow. "But it's not fair at the same time. You should have let me finished," Mikey whispers to Raph.

"April has much more training to do than you four. She has recently started training, she is far from being finished with her training. You are never finished learning new things. April is a quick learner and very eager, that is why her skills are getting very well. But she is not done with her training. It will be a long while until her training is concluded. That goes for you as well, my sons."

"Hm," Raph huffed. "I guess."

"Not satisfied with my answer?"

"I am," Mikey said, standing up. "Thanks, Master Splinter!" Mikey ran out of the room before he could be called to stay put.

"Raphael?"

"Eh."

"You are competitive, my son. Do you see April as a threat?"

"No! I just think it's unfair she's learning everything we know so quick, that's all."

"She has much more than you to learn. You should be happy that she is doing so well. She will be able to defend herself when you all are not around at the moment when she is in need of help. The more she improves, the better she can defend herself and be less likely to be seriously harmed. Do not think otherwise, my son. You all are becoming great warriors."

"...that's true. We do want her to be okay when we're not around... Yeah. Thanks, Sensei."

"Now, go clean your mess. _Everything_ , my son. I will inspect tomorrow."

"Hai, Sensei." Raph ran out and told everyone that they had to clean really well or else they'd get punished. Everyone was quick to get to work, and there were complaints along the way. When Raph and April were near each other, Raph sucked in a breath and turned to her. April looked at him and stood up, raising a brow at him. "Hey, uh, I just wanted to say, uh, you're doin' great, with training and whatever."

"Thanks, Raph," April smiled. "But Mikey told me you were a bit mad at me."

"Mikey!" Raph hissed, quickly turning his attention back to April. "I wasn't mad at you, I was mad that you were learning everything we've learned so quick. But if you weren't, you wouldn't know how to protect yourself. So I'm over it."

"You sure? I'm not a threat to you, am I?" April teased, smirking at him.

"Geesh, I try to be nice," Raph jokes, rolling his eyes.

"I kid," April smiles, lightly punching him. He chuckles a bit and they both return to cleaning.

After hours of cleaning, the 6 teenagers are exhausted. Their fingers ached, their joints throbbed, their backs and necks were sore. Mikey fell flat on the now clean floor, letting out a satisfied 'ahh' at how cold it was. Leo sat against the couch, tilting his head back onto the cushion of the couch. The rest of the teens plopped down on the couch in different positions, all of them groaning. Donnie slid off of the couch, a goofy smile plastered on his face as his legs touched the cold floor. They all start chatting along and start making plans to hang out again, very excited. Amongst all the talking, April looked at her friends. Thinking of all what has happened to her the past year- the dramatic change, the experiences, the new things she's learned, what she's witnessed- she couldn't believe what big of a change her life took. She had some really great friends, even if 4 of them were mutants. What makes it better is that she is learning how to defend herself and learning to be a kunoichi. Though many tragedies had happened- figuring out her best friend Irma was really Kraang Sub-Prime in disguise, her father being mutated twice, losing her mother twice- she was happy with her life. And she looked forward to what came her way. Because with her friends by her side, she felt she could accomplish anything.


End file.
